Phil Carmody, Thank you so much! Its been interesting writing this one as I have the characters Gilbert and Anne who we all love and know, I have the likes of Josie, Jane, Ruby and Charlie who are quite flexible characters and you can write them within their original characters quite easily. Then you have a whole new spectrum of characters her mother her father, Willis and Jane in particular but the other Shirley children… its really quite fun to make them and it has been fun writing Anne but a little bit differently and for her and Gil to just really hit it off from word go and that's been interesting.
Guest: They do need to get engaged already but slow down she's only just turned 16!
Kim Blythe: As always all your questions will be answered, but know there is a twist which makes it a little different to the books!
Oldmoviewatcher: Bertha really is the perfect mother! She is completely my ally and often my adult thoughts in the story.
The off white dress clung close to her frills made the illusion of it being closer to her then the dress was. She pinned her hair up just as Ruby had shown her to do. She looked herself in the mirror.
I wish I were prettier she thought to herself. There was a knock at the door.
"Come in." She called.
Her mother came through the door and gasped. Anne looked like her most the time, right now she saw herself nineteen years younger looking back at her through the mirror. " Anne you're beautiful!" her mother said in awe.
"Really. do you think so?" Anne asked her.
"Of course I do! You're always beautiful." Bertha smiled at her daughter. Bertha had known how pretty she was, Anne seemed to have no idea. "I have something for you." She said bringing out a small blue enamel box. "There's something in there for all of you, but I thought you might like to choose first being the oldest."
Anne saw there was a couple of rings a couple of broaches and a gold chain necklace with a little locket on it. "Oh ma!" She exclaimed on seeing it.
Bertha smiled. "I thought you might like that. It's your grandma's or it was. It's so beautiful and understated." She sighed. Just like Anne. Beautiful child of light bringing joy to whoever met her! That's what made Shirley's beautiful! Bertha put it on her daughter. "You've grown up Anne." She looked at Anne. "My baby girl." She said busting into tears.
"Oh ma! Don't cry, don't you remember what you used to tell me?
You maybe small or very tall,
you may even go to Montreal,
but just remember near or far,
I'll always be my baby's ma." She recited.
"You remember?" Bertha said.
"Of course I do!" Anne smiled they hugged briefly.
"Anne! Gil is here!" they heard Willis shout up the stairs.
Anne felt her tummy flutter. Gilbert was waiting for... for her! Bertha smiled recognizing the look on Anne's face. " your Prince awaits." Bertha smiled.
They made their way downstairs where Walter for once was out of his study, looking dressed up himself and looked on Anne for a moment. She was beautiful! Just like Bertha. He looked across the kitchen table to where Gilbert had settled found the boy standing up LOOKING at his daughter, a look of admiring in his eyes. Walter's brow furrowed.
" Anne." Gilbert said with a smile, In Walter's opinion sounding far to infatuated. Walter looked to Anne, there was something shining in her eyes and a pink blush to her face he had never seen before! What on earth was going on!?
Gilbert moved over to Anne. A pretty box in hand which was tied with a light pink ribbon "I know you like pink but you think you can't wear it because of your hair, I thought you might just get away with this." He said with a smile.
Anne opened the box. The corsage was pink roses surrounded with smaller nature like green leaves. Anne looked at it and gasped. " Oh Gil! It's beautiful!" She exclaimed.
"Just like you then." He whispered to her. "Let me put it on." He said louder. Her arm outstretched he tied it round her arm. His hands briefly brushed hers as he let go.
"Oh the ribbon!" Anne smiled. "Do you think I can get away with wearing it too?" she asked in general.
"I think you'd look lovely with it on Anne." Bertha smiled. " let me help." She offered.
As Bertha tied the ribbon round Anne's waist Walter looked suspiciously at Gilbert, eyeing up the fact the boy seemed to be paying far too much attention to HIS DAUGHTER!
With the ribbon around her waist Bertha told Anne just how pretty she looked. Bertha looked to Walter and wondered what was wrong, she would ask him at the ball. The teachers and their partners were acting as chaperones. She called in Willis. " now if there is anything wrong just call the school the babies are in bed..." She started.
"Ma! I know! Don't bug me I know what I'm doing!" Willis said, he was happy to be left in charge!
"Come on then." Walter said coming to himself " let's go."
As soon as they entered the hall they were given the dance cards even though they were eating first. Gilbert and Anne immediately scribbled each others names in dance 1, 5 and 10. Followed by dance 2 with (for Anne) her father and (for Gilbert) her mother. Respectively Anne agreed to dance with Charlie and Moody and Gilbert with Jane and Ruby. He also reserved dances with Priscilla (a girl Anne particularly had enjoyed company with) Emily Clay, Katherine Digby and Jennifer Walton. By the time Josie tried to tie him down to a dance his dance card was full.
"Then drop a dance with Anne, you have three with her!" Josie almost demanded.
"I'm not going to do that Josie." He told her firmly but kindly.
"And why not?" she demanded.
Gilbert shook his head. Josie and his "friendship" (if that is what you could call it!) had been strained since he practically shouted at her. He didn't LIKE to disappoint anyone especially anyone from his hometown with a clan as big as the Pye's behind them, but she still spoke to him like she did on that first day which irritated him no end. "Because." He said quietly "I want to dance with Anne." He told her.
Josie glared at him "Well if you prefer some city town floozy.."
"Watch your mouth Josie Pye!" he said in a loud whisper to her. "Anne is neither of those things firstly she's from Bolingbrook Nova Scotia, that's smaller then Avonlea and secondly YOU use a word like that to describe Anne when you've been doing nothing but flirt your way through this year with anyone is trousers especially your lectures..." Gilbert looked to her, her face red and stone like "word gets around... a dangerous game to play when someone from your own hometown hangs out with the Principal's daughter don't you think Josie, what would people say back in Avonlea?"
"What do you want?" she glared at him.
"No more sly remarks about Anne, and leave us alone." He told her. She glared at him then walked away.
Anne likewise had a full dance card three with Gilbert one with her dad , Moody and Charlie, Frank Stockley (much to Josie's further annoyance), Andrew Pratchett, James Baxtor and Robert Clarke.
First they sat to the formal meal, sitting at a round table with Jane and James and Ruby and Andrew the six friends chatted happily together.
Gilbert's gaze falling on Anne every time she spoke. He felt her mere voice deserved worshipping. Anne likewise gave her undivided attention to Gilbert at every moment, every joke every word.
Anne danced happily with her other partners but whenever she was with Gilbert she felt her smile widen, she knew she was dancing closer to him then the others, but he would lean over and whisper jokes to her which she would promptly laugh at with him. Then they would sometimes gaze, sometimes he would hold her close her head on his shoulder! They were in a dream together, everyone else faded into the background. For those dances there was just them.
Anne's parents walked in front of them on the way home allowing Gilbert's hand to slip into Anne's. The young couple whispering to each other gently. They arrived at Rosebud, Gilbert and Anne held back at the gate, Bertha went inside immediately while Walter held back at the door.
Gilbert could FEEL Walter's eyes on them, he became very aware of the fact her father was right there.
"Thank you for tonight Anne, it's been lovely." He told her.
She blushed under his gaze "Thank you."
"You really are beautiful." He whispered holding her hand again. Still aware of her father's watchful eye he kissed her hand gently. "Night Anne." He said with a hint of huskiness to his voice, he lowered her hand and reluctantly let go. Anne also aware of her father's presence wished him inside the house but knew it wouldn't happen. Gilbert opened the gate for her and watched her walk down the path to the house. He watched her as she peered back at him for one last look.
Walking towards the dressing rooms the two friends were nervous but they had to walk this way to spy the results.
" Oh Gil, if I failed just tell me! Don't try to cushion it." She told him as they approached the results board she tried to walk away when Gilbert held her arm
"You're not going anywhere!" He told her. " let face it together."
He looked up at the results. " Anne! Anne you did it!" he exclaimed happily.
"I... I what?!" She said in disbelief.
"You have the Avery! Anne your going to Redmond!"
"I'm so happy for you Anne." He said they parted from the crowds and headed to the dressing room, they stood in a deserted corridor he hugged her in to him "You can go and get that BA now." At this point they had let go of the hug but had remained in each other's arms.
"What about you Gil. I only wish there were two! How can I enjoy this when I know what it's doing to my best friend?"
"Oh don't worry about me, come on, I got the gold medal I'll have my choice of schools won't I? And I think Avonlea school might be looking for a teacher, that way I can save everything I have and I can come and join you at Redmond in a couple of years."
She smiled at him. "You can still fulfill that dream of yours you know. This is just a pit stop along the way."
"I think" he replied to her "Since I met you, anything is possible."
They gazed for a moment before a distance sound made them step back
"We better go and get ready." Gilbert said in a low voice before they tore themselves from each other and headed off to their separate dressing rooms.
The next day Gilbert's bags were packed, he was going back to Avonlea he sighed as he loaded his father's buggy with his school items. Term wasn't over for the rest of the Shirley children, still another two weeks to go. Gilbert knew Mrs Shirley was happy but she could hardly move she was so big now! Gilbert was sad he would miss the new baby Shirley but was comfortable in the idea that he'd meet them one day. He asked his father to stop by Rose Bud. He had to see Anne, just one last time. He knocked on the door gently. He was relieved when Anne answered the door.
"Gilbert?" Anne said holding the door open, she looked towards the buggy. "You're off?"
"I just... I wanted to say goodbye... properly." He told her.
With this they hugged closely.
He wrapped her in his arm, every fibre of his being was telling him not to let go, that it was wrong for them to part! He'd found the girl if his dreams. ' tell her, tell her, tell her!' His subconscious pleaded with him.
"You'll write won't you?" Anne asked him.
He pulled back "Of course I will, and let me know when new baby Shirley make an appearance." He told her. Letting go of her.
"Come and visit them if you like?" Anne offered. "Mama and papa won't mind."
"Maybe you can come to Avonlea to that dance Ruby is organising?" he asked her.
"That would be nice." She said to him.
"Gil!" His father called now standing at the gate. "we have to go."
Gilbert looked towards his father then back to Anne. His heart beating faster than he knew was possible. A familiar pang of self-destruct hit him. He had waited too long! He should have told her at Christmas SOBER how he felt, he should have told her when Josie tried to part them that he loved her, he should have kissed her at Easter he should have asked her under those cherry trees to court him like he had planned he should have kissed her the night of the dance and now... now it was too late. He wanted to cry, many many years of hiding his feelings had prepared him for this. He took a breath his hand stroked her face gently "goodbye Anne." He whispered before he left her standing in the door.
Anne watched him leave the tears in her eyes. He was walking away! What if she never saw him again? She loved him, she loved everything about him. She stood frozen for a minute then went inside. The tears rolling down her face she made her way up the stairs, she passed her mother on the way.
"Anne?" she questioned.
"Leave me alone!" Anne sobbed.
Bertha sighed. The twins and Robert were down for a nap. She'd just came from upstairs and her now nine month tummy was heavy to carry, but she slowly made her way up the stairs she opened her daughter's door and sat on the bed with her. "Anne?" she questioned again putting her arm around her daughter. Anne hugged into her mother like a baby.
"Mama, mama!" She cried.
"What is it?" she asked her.
"He's gone mama, he's gone home." She sobbed.
Oh Bertha thought Gilbert. She let her cry a minute before talking "it hurts when those we love go away doesn't it?"
Anne sat up and looked at her mother shocked. "How?" she questioned her mother.
Bertha half giggled "How?!" Bertha exclaimed. "I've never seen two people so in love since your father and me!
"But he's been here! You let him walk me to school… alone!" Anne said in shock.
"Technically that was your father's idea." Bertha mused. "I must tell you Anne you know how to choose them. Gilbert is really handsome."
"That's not why." Anne objected.
"No, I know it isn't. I think you've been gradually falling for him since day one." Bertha half asked.
Anne shook her head. "Mama, I met him at the entrance exams... well not met him exactly we spotted each other... he..." Anne trailed. Was this going to be too much information? "Winked at me."
"Oh?" Bertha asked in surprise then smiled. "Tell me everything!" Bertha asked feeling like a giggly schoolgirl again.
"Well I was waiting for the exam to start and I was feeling nervous, I looked up and caught him staring at me. Then he smiled and winked at me. I did my best to remember my place and I turned my nose up and looked away, but I could still see him out the corner of my eye. Then I did the exam and went outside and stood under the tree papa agreed to meet me at and I saw him again across the courtyard and he saw me and I thought he was coming over when Josie grabbed his arm. I assumed they were a couple." Anne took a sigh "I didn't even know his name! I never caught it so I didn't know it was him until I met him that first day of school."
"What happened that first day at school? You blushed when Willis was asking questions about Gil."
Anne paused and blushed again "Well..." She trailed, "Gilbert told me Josie and he weren't an item and he was trying to avoid being with her, so... I may have... stopped her... in various ways."
Bertha let out a gasp and laugh at the same time "Well Anne Shirley! You flirted with him!" her mother exclaimed.
"You... you aren't mad?" Anne asked in shock.
"Mad? Why would I be mad, I was dating your father at your age! I'd be surprised if you hadn't flirted with him, you two are so in love."
"Oh mamma don't! Saying it makes me miss him more!" the tears resuming down her cheeks.
Bertha hugged her daughter again. "He'll be back you know, before he's been gone a month, he'll be back."
"I hope so." Anne whispered in her tears.
"I know so." Bertha assured her.