"Do you think they understand each other?" Rilla asked she sat on the floor with Nan. Watching Oliver and Deena play on the floor. It was Easter weekend, and Oliver was officially four months old, while his cousin with ten months old. There wasn't much playing, it was more tossing blocks and playing on the toy drum that was found in the toy box. Both infants had a similar look with their darker hair. Each child seemed to be a mix of his or her parents, though Deena looked very much like Nan. The main difference was the colour of their eyes. Deena had dark eyes, while Olivers were lightening to a greenish-grey.
It was loud and noisy from shrieks and baby laughs but everyone was laughing. Grandparents would look in, or smile into their teacups at the sounds that echoed in Ingleside. Rilla and Nan were delighted as they watch the children communicate without words.
"I believe so," Nan said after a moment. "They look like they are having fun either way?"
"He doesn't get to see many other children, at least yet anyway. Maybe once summer rolls around and it's warmer we have playtime at the park with others?" Rilla explained to her sister. " After all Socialization is always good for infants and children."
"It is," Nan agreed. "Deena and Wally can play for hours, or until one falls asleep during playtime. It's sad that you're not here on the Island. Cousins are instant playmates and friends, same with Shirley and Lillian. I wonder how old Elodie will be before she ever sees Canada? Actually I wonder just how old she will be when we finally get to see her?"
"They'll visit at some point, or you'll get to visit," Rilla told her. "She is adorable, and Shirley keeps sending us things for Oliver."
"Does he?" Nan asked.
"I think it's all trial and error on his part. If something works for them, Elodie is only two months older than Oliver, he'll send it over for us." Rilla explained. "But really he is horrid at instructions, plus from Lillian's last letter, he surprised her with a dog."
"If his instructions were anything like his mock lesson plans, I pity you," Di laughed. "A dog? Jerry has been thinking about getting a dog at some point. I don't mind either way, but hopefully when Deena Is a little older."
"We have Artemis, and Ken seems to be content with that," Rilla replied. "but she is a lovely feline, though she stays far away from Oliver since he found her tail. I didn't realize I would be explaining the world no so early to him."
"Is he starting to try and roll over yet when you put him on his stomach?" Nan asked her as Oliver raised his head a bit while on his stomach.
"He's trying, but not quite there yet," Rilla answered as she watched Oliver, try and grab a toy but miss completely. "We're still learning a bunch of different things, aren't we? But we have found our toes, haven't we? Soon enough you may be big enough to sleep in your own bed?" She said more to Oliver than to her sister.
"How much does he weigh now?" Nan asked curiously.
"Just under thirteen pounds," Rilla said proudly. "Sometimes when I watch him sleep, I can sometimes imagine seeing him when he's older. Then maybe by some miracle, he might have a sibling."
Nan looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Those are words I never thought I'd hear from you, you must be coming out of the fog."
"Well, don't go placing any bets or anything," Rilla gave her a stern look. "Lets not all go crazy, but life is settling into a routine. Ken and I can communicate better, now that I'm not dead on my feet." Rilla said slyly as she waved the plush monkey around Oliver, who was now sitting in the wall of pillows.
"Is that what they call these days, communication?" Nan teased her, before blushing at her own words.
Rilla grinned saucily at her. "Don't get too excited for us, we're still working out the kinks," Rilla said flushing and self-consciously covering her chest with an arm,
Nan looked around the room to see who was still around. She decided it was safe enough as she leaned closer and whispered into her sister's ear.
"Who are you and what have you done to my sister," Rilla exclaimed with a snort.
"To contrary belief, I am not always such a prude about such things," Nan told her. "There is a time and place for such conversations. Plus, sometimes it helps to know that you aren't alone in each thing. If it happens, just laugh it off."
"I'll keep that in mind," Rilla blushed. "What do you plan on wearing for Easter dinner?" Rilla asked curiously.
"I packed my dusty rose gown," Nan told her with a smile. "What are you planning on wearing?"
"I packed a cornflower blue dress, I know shocking I'm not wearing green," Rilla laughed.
"You look splendid in any colour, your hair is red enough to call it red. Yet subtle enough that it doesn't clash like Di's," Nan complimented her smiling. "I'm still surprised the Carl came out for Easter and bringing someone with him?"
"My friend Marianne, they've been corresponding," Rilla nodded her head. "I'm not sure exactly what's going on. She has been pretty quiet as of late, she just asked if I was going to be on the Island for Easter."
"Maybe they are engaged?" Nan asked as she held her daughter's hands as she stood on unsteady feet.
"I guess we will find it, we're supposed to meet up later this evening. Why Ken and I opened the summer house, so Marianne can stay with us, gives everyone a bit more room." Rilla explained to her sister.
It was the evening when Carl and Marianne stepped off the train. Her arm tucked into his, as they waited for their bags.
"Are you sure they won't object?" Marianne asked him once more. Her nerves getting the better of her. They told her aunt out of curtesy and it wasn't well-received, but Marianne didn't need her permission. It was more the fact that her Aunt had thrown her past at Carl, not knowing he already knew. He spoke in a low voice, saying it was horrible for her to continue to dangle it over her nieces head for so long. How everybody makes mistakes, but she shouldn't be punished for being lead on from cad. A cad who obviously knew what he was doing all along.
"I think they'll be glad that I'm not going to die a bachelor," Carl joked. "It will be fine Mary, they will adore you and not think twice about it."
"I know, it's just nerve-wracking," Marianne sighed. "Are they sending someone to pick us up?"
"I spoke to Jerry he said he would," Carl told her. He will drop you off at the Fords. I'll head to the manse and break the news to Father and Rosemary, and I'll ride up tonight to tell you how it went."
"Are you sure you don't want me to be there with you?" Marianne asked him concerned.
"I'll be fine, I think he'll be relieved that I'm settling down. It's not like any of them know. He'll be more upset that I'm dragging you off to some strange island full of heathens or something. Which the Hawaiians are not, of course. They are civilized much like us." Carl told her. "It's rather fascinating their culture."
Marianne nodded her head. "There are our bags and my trunk," She pointed to the small travelling trunk. "I am so excited to see Rilla and meet Oliver."
"Given his parent's looks, I am sure he will be a good looking child," Carl told her.
"He is," Marianne confirmed. "I have photos."
"I see Jerry," Carl told her as he grabbed her trunk as she grabbed the lighter bags.
"Oh he is absolutely precious," Marianne gushed as she saw Oliver for the first time. "Oh Rilla," she sighed happily. "May I?"
"Of course," Rilla laughed and nodded her head, passing over her son. "How was the trip?"
"It was good," Marianne told her as she studied the infant in her arms. "How was the train with Oliver?"
"He did fine I think. He's not one for the ferry though," Rilla spoke truthfully. "The train seems to put him to sleep, something to do with the motion I believe."
"Well, he is adorable," Marianne repeated herself. "His first Easter, and Easter bunny!"
"You would think all the grandchildren were older by the amount of chocolate bunnies hiding around Ingleside." Rilla laughed.
"So a win for the parents?" Marianne giggled as she swayed with Oliver. On her left hand, there was a simple gold and diamond ring on her finger. Nothing large, it was understated and pretty.
"What in the world is that?" Rilla said with a shake of her head, still in disbelief of what she saw. "I thought you were merely corresponding?"
"What can I say, I am swayed by the word of the pen?" Marianne smiled. "We split the difference and we saw each other at Christmas in Winnipeg while I visiting my cousin. It was nice and we went skating and explored the city."
"Persis keeps asking us to come out to visit. Ken keeps telling her we will when he can safely leave the company for a few weeks. Takes a week to get there after all, but she is going to come this summer to visit with the children." Rilla told her, knowing the Marianne had experienced that train ride already. "So Christmas together? That still doesn't quite explain how I did not get a letter saying you're engaged?"
"Well, no point in waiting? Plus Carl got an assignment that is out in Hawaii, and he could bring a guest if he wanted." Marianne told her simply while making a funny face to Oliver who seemed to still be unsure of the lady holding him.
"So you're getting married for a free honeymoon?" Rilla asked her raising an eyebrow
"Of course not, but it is a condition for me to go with him," Marianne told her. "Also we are being practical, we're in our mid-to-late twenties, unmarried. We have a strong connection, and he handsome." Marianne tried to explain "We'll be happy, neither of us is extremely romantic, and won't regret our decision. He's sweet, kind and we understand each other. We don't find that with other people."
"If you are happy, then I am," Rilla grinned and reached for Oliver back who was beginning to fuss. "Whatever is a matter," she said to Oliver. "Are you hungry already?"
"Hungry a lot?" Marianna asked as they settled down on the sofa at the house of dreams.
"Some days it feels like he's feeding half the day," Rilla sighed. "Growth spurts I think, but he's down to only one middle of the night feed."
"Such an accomplishment!" Marianne exclaimed.
"Yes, and very rarely he will actually sleep the entire night." Rilla agreed happily.
"What are the Merediths like?' Marianne asked Rilla, her nerves showing for the first time. "Truthfully Carl is unsure what they will think of our plan, or think we're rushing into things."
"The Merediths are a nice family and have been friends with mine for years. Rosemary is a sweet soul. Always helping those needs and Mr. Meredith is the minister at the church in Glen. He's married most of us, well besides Shirley and Lillian, but he did give them a blessing. He's forgetful but he means well. Faith of course is married Jem. You've met her, she is joyful and witty. Jerry is a gentleman even his worst moments and suits Nan ladylike ways. Una is sensitive and quiet, we were often together as teens, her husband is a lawyer in Kingsport. We see each other occasionally but it's not like before." Rilla told her honestly. "I don't think they will object to your marriage. I think they want Carl to settle down and be happy."
"I hope so," Marianne said with a hopeful sigh. "I know I shouldn't be worried, we're both of age and they technically can't stop us. I just want them to like me I suppose."
"They will love you," Rilla leaned her head on her shoulder, as she was still holding Oliver who was feeding.
"You once said that you never had many true friends during your teenage years," Marianne said out loud.
"I think some of it was that some went on to be teachers. Others, well a part of me think that taking care of Jimmy left with little free time for fun. I kept telling them that I couldn't go and they just stopped asking me to do things. Outside of the Junior Red Cross, I had no free time, and I couldn't ask to go out dancing. No without asking someone to watch Jimmy at home." Rilla admitted. "It's hard to know the truth really?"
"Sometimes, it better to only a couple good friends. Then a lot of acquaintances," Marianne reminded him. "Plus, maybe one day Carl and I can settle down on the coast one day. Or we can get a house that I can stay at when he goes off for work that I can't accompany him on?"
"That would be a nice arrangement," Rilla smiled at the thought.
"I think I see Carl," Marianne said from looking out the window. "I'll be back."
It was in the middle of the night when Marianne found Rilla walking floor downstairs. He wasn't crying, but the infant clearly didn't want to go back to sleep.
"Do you want me to walk with him for a bit to give you a rest?" Marianne asked. "Or is Ken going to show up at some point?"
"He's sleeping, I generally let him sleep since he usually goes to work. Plus most of the time, he'll end up feeding himself into dreamland again." Rilla explained.
"Fair enough," Marianne said with a nod of her head. "Though don't worry about me, I'm up and down most nights anyway."
"So you'll be all prepared if you decided to have children," Rilla yawned and looked down at Oliver who yawned as well.
"I don't think I'll have children," Marianne told her honestly.
"Don't say such a thing," Rilla shook her head. "You engaged to be married are you not?"
"Of course, but even marriage doesn't guarantee children you know that," Marianne said quietly.
"True, my goodness, I sound like everyone I wanted to slap when they said things like that," Rilla sighed. "I'm not even sure I want more, and I'm telling others to have them."
"It's fine, truthfully. It just I don't think I can have children," Marianne admitted to Rilla for the first time, and the second time in her life. "I went through something as a young girl, and there is a chance that it may have ruined any chance of children for me. Carl knows this as well."
"Oh," Rilla said unsure of what to say next. "Well, thats good I suppose, if Carl knows," Rilla said unsure of what to say. "Though childhood illnesses rarely actually affect a woman's fertility."
"I wasn't ill," Marianne said quietly. "I was young and foolish. I was fifteen and I believed myself in love and well I got in trouble. It's the reason why my Aunt lived with us."
Rilla sat down and turned to her friend. Knowing instantly what she had just admitted. She heard about such things, how women could die from infections. Of course, it was considered a sin in the eyes of the church. At the same time, Marianne's strict Aunt and her life in Toronto and how in her letters she hinted at the unfairness. How she often had to fight to visit the first time she came out east. It suddenly made much more sense.
"I don't know what to say," Rilla admitted.
"I didn't want to, I would have given it away," Marianne tried to explain. "She took me there, and I was so afraid. I didn't know what was even happening until it happened. Then she spent every day pretending that I needed more guidance. She never said it out loud, but she reminded me of my mistakes every day. If I wanted to do anything. I had to prove that I wouldn't go do something foolish. I thought no one would ever consider being my friend after everything. To the point, I alienated myself from everyone. I felt like it was written on my forehead. Then I met you, a stranger who just jumped into a friendship with a woman you didn't even know."
"You were young, and if I were to judge anyone on life choices. I'd have to give my own a good hard look as well." Rilla told her. "It's shocking, but my sister in law is a widower divorcee, who was in an abusive marriage. Shocking seems to run in my line of friendships?"
It was a busy Saturday morning as Carl had come calling at the old house of dreams. His father had been called away for some matter of faith when he had arrived at the Manse. Instead, he had to wait to share his news over breakfast.
"They were surprised, but they give their blessing," Carl told her as he caught her hands, squeezing them.
"You don't need to be all modest just because I'm here," Rilla said from her spot at the kitchen table. "I've seen people kiss before, heck I've encouraged it even before engagement."
Carl cleared his throat and gave Marianne a look.
Marianne gave him a sweet, yet awkward kiss. They needed to learn how to at least appear like a normal couple.
"Right, you're writing what, monthly contributions now for the magazine?" Marianne said stepping back and going for her coffee cup.
"Yes, and school begins once more come June," Rilla nodded her head. "Three max every other issue. As Mrs. Lennox is a busy lady, who enjoys keeping busy with her family. Enjoys gardening and reading.
"So everything you are not?" Marianne nudged her teasingly.
"I like reading when I enjoy the subject," Rilla gave her friend a small glare but kept a smile on her face.
"Where is the little guy?" Carl asked looking around.
"I sent Ken on a mission of diaper duty," Rilla grinned. "He often weasels out of it, but here there is no Mrs. Clarke to take pity on him."
"She does not pity me." Ken said voicing his view on the subject. As he walked in with Oliver who was still in his nightgown and had a large case of bedhead. "She's just better and quicker at it than I."
"Whatever you have to tell yourself," Rilla said as she took Oliver. Tsking at the state of his hair as she tried to tame, what appeared to be slowly turning into curls. "Do you want to meet Uncle Carl?" She asked him as she turned him around on her lap so he could see the man with golden-brown hair.
"He doesn't look all that impressed," Carl stated after a short staring contest.
"If you had tits he'd be more interested," Ken joked as he bit into a slice of cold toast.
"Really? Watch your language please," Rilla chastised her husband. "Though Ken is right, he only cares about two things. Food, and where food comes from, oh and his monkey stuffed toy."
"Yes, couldn't forget that toy, though he almost pitched him off the ferry in a fit," Ken shook his head. "He can hold on to things if you put it in his hand, and then proceed to throw them. However, we are still learning about aim when going to grasp something within his eyesight." He explained to the childless couple.
"Sounds like you have your hands full," Carl said choosing his words carefully.
"Well, you'll have your turn soon enough," Ken told him. "I am going to run up to town and get a few supplies, you'll be all right by yourself?" He asked his wife.
"Of course," Rilla nodded her head and tilted her head and let him kiss her.
"Congratulations as well, both of you," Ken told Marianne and Carl before heading out the door.
"Go explore," Rilla told them as she saw them looking out the window. "Don't worry about me, I have a routine to keep up."
"Are you sure he'll be all right with me gone?" Rilla asked her mother for the umpteenth time.
"You're going out for dinner," Anne reminded her. "We will be perfectly fine for a few hours. You left enough for a bottle if he suddenly decided to have a snack before you get back by 9 pm."
"But what if he cries for one of us, you don't know how he likes to be rocked to sleep some nights." Rilla fretted in her nice evening gown.
"Rilla, your mother has raised six, and looks after the grandchildren often enough." Ken reminded Rilla gently. He was dressed in one of his smart suits, a dark blue with matching waistcoat. "We'll be back before he goes to bed, he won't even notice that we are gone."
"I never left him before," Rilla muttered, still unsure if it was a wise thing to do. "How are you so calm?"
"I suppose I'm used to it," Ken said, meaning he left for work every morning and worked six to eight hours a day.
"Then it's time," Gilbert spoke up. "A few hours will do you both some good, Oliver will be well cared so you don't need to worry about him with a stranger. He'll even have Deena to play. Go have dinner out with your husband at the hotel and enjoy some time childfree."
Both Anne and Gilbert watched the young parents leave. Rilla still looking anxious at the thought of going out. They smiled at each other before shutting the door. It was a regular thing. Once a month, they offer their child care services to their children who lived nearby. It only seemed fair to allow Rilla and Ken to have a night out together as a date. It always amused them to watch their children the first time they left without their baby. Of course, by now Jem and Nan easily relinquished their offspring. They handed them over to their grandparents without a thought. A quick hello, maybe some instructions or information. Then it was goodbye kisses before they were out the door in under ten minutes.
The hotel was near the shore and they had a table facing the coastline. It felt strange but oddly normal for them to be there. It was nice to be dressed up, to smell of perfume and not milk, or at least she didn't think she did. She barely paid attention to her meal as they caught up on life. Still often slipping into all the nuances that came along while having a child. Telling him about Oliver's routine and how it has changed, or the diaper rash that didn't want to go away. She would frown at her self before switching over to other subjects. Talking about her course work she was planning on, what is entitled and what she hoped to learn from it. It was lighter than what she was used to but given her new status as a mother. She felt it would be easier to manage with less work.
Ken caught her up with some company news and that things have settled down. How Persis had settled on a date for her trip, wanting to also use the summer house for part of her trip. That he wanted to try and arrange a trip to Toronto and speak to his uncle sometime this year, as well to see his parents.
By the time they collected Oliver and headed back to the house of dreams. It was late, but they were both sated from the adult conversations that had. As Ken checked over the house and gave Carl a look of don't get caught if you stay over. Rilla settled into for a dream feed in the corner of their room.
Downstairs another couple was talking about their own plans. When and how they wanted their small wedding to be. It was late until Carl took his leave, past midnight. Marianne standing in the doorway watching him until he was all out of site except for the light of the lantern.
My usual gratitude to the people who leave lovely reviews and let me know how much you enjoy the story.
Thank you Jess for the amazing conversation about the lesser-known or talked about areas of mom life.
Tina.