"The heart never forgets, never gives up, the territory marked off for those who came before."
Robert James Waller
Leaving an Impression
Only one week left until Fred Wright's clambake.
Should he really dare it? Or should he wait?
"AH!" Gilbert cringed as the hammer met his fingernail.
"Great…" he muttered, sucking his aching thumb.
Maybe he should simply try and get Anne Shirley out of his mind, while he was supposed to do other things!
Yeah… He rolled his eyes, looking down at his hand. As if that would ever work…
Gilbert put the tool down at the ground and leaned against the fence, crossing one leg over the other. His father wanted him to fix some loose nails, but this fence was doomed anyhow. He would have to build a complete new one.
Well... since she wouldn't leave his mind anytime soon, he could as well give her his undivided attention.
By now it's been almost three weeks since Anne had learned Diana would marry Fred. Her immediate reactions had been shock and dejection. As if this news would be the most horrible thing in the world.
He hadn't been able to understand her back then - Gilbert had simply expected her to be happy for her best friend - but he could now. Well, as far as it was possible to understand one Anne Shirley.
In some way she would lose her bosom friend to Fred. For years Anne had been used to having Diana always near to her, being able to see her whenever there was something important to discuss. And suddenly her room in Barry's house would remain dark, while she would live a complete different life, in a complete different house, and start her own family.
When he'd revealed Anne the news, all Gilbert had hoped for was to hear anything coming out of her mouth that would encourage him and his intends. Him and his feelings. Him and his heart.
No wonder he had been excruciatingly frustrated after her defensive reaction, even saying she would never fall in love with anybody.
Didn't she know how her words had the power to crush his heart?
But, after he'd slept over it, Gilbert slowly began to understand.
He'd started realizing that it wasn't him she had rejected, but all those frightening changes. Changes causing her to fear she could lose the people she loved the most.
Gilbert understood her in this point very well. More than she would ever know. Because his greatest fear was losing her.
That's why he had to do this. Soon.
What if he wouldn't ask and some poetry writing knut would arrive on the scene and steal Anne away from him?
No, he could never risk that.
There was only one thing that terrified Gilbert Blythe even more than the possibility of her refusing him and his love. And that was the fear of losing Anne Shirley forever. The fear of always asking himself what could have been.
"Gilbert!" a voice ripped him out of his thoughts.
Startled he turned around and looked at his father who sat on the buckboard.
"I called you already three times!"
"Sorry…I, I have been in thoughts."
"I can see. Well, I only wanted to tell you I'm gonna drive into town to get a few things. Then I'll come for you."
"Alright. Then I'll go over there, see if I can save this old piece of fence somehow." He bent down and gathered his tools.
"Do that, son", Mister Blythe chuckled and waited for him so they could walk a few yards together.
"Then I see you later."
"Yes, b-", Gilbert turned around with a waving hand, as his jaw dropped. "What in heaven's name…" he muttered.
John Blythe followed his gaze and didn't react any less shocked at this sight. Two girls were lying in the mud - one of them completely covered with the brown liquid - while a tan cow was grazing in front of them.
"That's Anne and Diana", Gilbert realized and dropped the tools to rush towards them, fearing one of them (in other words; Anne) could be hurt.
"Sorry…" he heard Anne muttering sheepishly, while Diana tried to get rid of the mud on her face.
That's when Gilbert understood that nothing severe had occurred but simply one of Anne's well-known misadventures.
He couldn't help but chuckle at this view. Not that he really paid much attention to Diana, but Anne…
God, that girl was a sight. How was it possible that he found her even more utterly adorable when she was covered from head to toe in mud?
Couldn't he simply turn off all those butterflies in his stomach?
How he loved Anne and her penchant for mishaps...
That's when she looked up and met his eyes, and he had to gain his composure immediately. But Gilbert had become quite good at that during all those years he was already pining for her.
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his blue overall and grinned mischievously down at her.
"Well, the elegant and illustrious Miss Shirley. Relaxed while seeking out ideas for her next Rolling's Reliable writing assignment, I presume."
He just couldn't help but tease her. Her pout was just too sweet to resist. Besides, he still had to take revenge for that day when she'd caused him to fall into the stream and then had nothing better to do but laugh at him.
And furthermore, why hadn't she told him anything about participating on that writing assignment?
"Well, do you suppose I'm here to chat with the bullfrogs?" She made a face and reached her dripping hand out to him. "Be a gentleman."
Gilbert rolled his eyes. He was always a gentleman. She just refused to see him as one.
Then he took a few steps forward and bent down to grab first Anne's then Diana's hand and pulled them up.
Still holding her hand, he stood so close to her that it was itching Gilbert to wipe the mud off her face. In whichever way that would be…
He let go of her, and tried not to only shake the dirt off but also his infuriating desires.
"You'd've been better off selling her last month when dad offered to buy her."
"Well, I'll sell Dolly to him right now, if he wants her."
Anne stepped past him to talk with his father.
Gilbert couldn't help but laugh as he heard her offering the cow to his father. He could clearly hear annoyance out of her voice. Or was it hidden embarrassment?
He watched her surreptitiously, only half paying attention to their conversation.
Why did she have to look so maddening attractive even from her backside? And even though she was dirty all over?
That dress certainly knew how to point all her female curves out... Even more so now that it was wet and sticking mercilessly to her skin.
He bit his bottom lip as a thought started rolling around in his head.
Well, he could always say that he only nudged her by accident.
Or that he had to clean his hand…
On her dirty dress?
Gilbert rolled his eyes. Since he was going to ask her to be his wife anyway, he could as well leave his print on her right now.
Yep, that was a very good reason, he decided.
Somewhat childish, but still very good.
He walked past her, giving her a bold pat on her muddy butt.
Baffled she met his eyes, answering his impish grin with a somewhat perplexed smile of her own.
Well, seemed as if she wouldn't have minded at all, he mused. Maybe everything would work out better than he'd thought.
He walked towards the cow and grabbed her cord. "Anne," he looked back at her, "I'll be over this afternoon with your $20."
His father hadn't told him to, but it would give Gilbert just the chance to ask her about that assignment.
And maybe he could even probe a little how Anne thought of their relationship.
Yes, he wouldn't just leave a print on her dress.
Gilbert Blythe would do everything in his power to leave a print on her heart.
One that couldn't be washed away again. Not in a lifetime.
AN: Dedicated to RHrGreatness and the most (I don't want to exaggerate but what's true is true ^^) awesome "MBP Club" in the world! ;D (And how did you know we are going to have a baby?! Stop reading my mind! ;P )
And a special thank-you to SailorLeia for having this marvellous idea with the pants. I TRULY WANT TO HAVE THEM! :D
Guest: Mine does too! :D She loves "cuddling" with the tree branches, and we have to hang the tree balls high enough so she wouldn't get (and smash…) them. And last year she simply lay down under the tree - upon all the presents - and it was one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. I was a puddle…
TheNinjaGoalie: Working on it! :)