Hello everyone!
Now, we're eight chapters into the story... So it might be a good moment to remind all of you that this has an M rating? It's for many reasons, not just sex. Please keep that in mind moving forward.
We think you will thoroughly enjoy this chapter. Please let us know in the comments?
And as always, music!
You - Kyson
Looking too closely- Fink
Remorse - Thaehan
I sit & hide - Sophie Barker
After the fall - Zero 7 feat Lou Stone
Grow as we go - Ben Platt
Let me in - Skinny Living
Chapter 8
When she was out of the building she stopped. He didn't seem to be following her and she didn't have a plan. It was true what he said: she couldn't be found outside. She tried to remember anything about the area the apartment was located from her first few weeks and then remembered. The trail. If she could manage to get there before being noticed, then she would be good. She doubted anyone would look for people infringing the lockdown there.
She walked quickly, almost running, until she was under the refuge the trees provided. She kept a quick pace a few hundred meters more, just in case, and then stopped. It was quiet. The sound of the wind in the trees and the birds that knew nothing of the quarantine were her only companions. Not one person in sight. She walked slowly until she saw a smaller path that went directly into the trees and she followed it, wanting to get as deep as possible and leave the main, paved path. Only when she found a fallen log that looked inviting she stopped to think.
There was nothing she wanted more than to be on good terms with Gilbert. That was a given. But an impossible one, it would seem. Every time she thought she was making any kind of progress, she went backwards and she didn't know how to move forward. Because she did believe his version of the facts. Most of it, anyway. But it didn't take away the hurt and it certainly didn't help that he was never there when she had needed him. She was sure the only way to have him in her life was to forgive the past, forgive him, and maybe even forgive herself.
She hugged her knees, trying to keep the fresh air at bay, and rested her back on another tree. Even if she was in the middle of the city, she could feel like she was in a familiar forest. Closing her eyes, she stayed still, concentrating only in her breathing and the songs of the birds, trying to clear her mind from all the words and memories of Gilbert, completely losing track of time.
Gilbert returned to the apartment and cleared the dishes that were still around, trying to occupy himself with something different than Anne but failing miserably. He replayed once, twice, thrice, more times everything they had said to each other. They had been yelling and probably using words they wouldn't have used if they were having the calm conversation he had wished for.
But what nagged him was that everything they had said was true. His pain, her hurt, all the facts. They weren't even inventing anything that hadn't happened- maybe only his motives, because certainly he hadn't done anything with the purpose of hurting her. He would never hurt her, he preferred to hurt himself.
He retrieved his phone from the table where he had left it.
**Josie Avongang (16:34): So glad Gilbert Blythe and Carrots got their shit together!
**Rubes Avongang (16:42): The best news ever! 💖 💞 💗
**Charlie Avongang (16:45): Even if they're "not together"
Oh, well. He would just ignore them. He was deep enough in trouble because of them to pay any more attention to whatever they had to say.
**Gilbert Blythe (16:49): Freddie, I fucked up.
**Fred (16:50): Whatever do you mean? Got sick already? Told you to not go down to ER.
**Gilbert Blythe (16:50): No, mate. With Anne. All of our mutual friends found out she's staying here and started jumping to conclusions. I tried to talk to her about that, you know it's been on my mind for weeks. She went mental. Barged off. Have no idea where she went.
**Fred (16:51): Fuck. You do have zero tact.
**Gilbert Blythe (16:51): Thanks? I don't know what to do.
**Fred (16:51): Should we go looking for her? If anything we show our hospital badges and hope for the best.
**Gilbert Blythe (16:52): I think I'll wait for a bit. Let her cool off. I just hope she doesn't get caught.
**Fred (16:53): Let me know. I get off at 6:00, so I can go with you.
**Gilbert Blythe (16:53): K.
He looked at the ceiling. How could he be so stupid to bring the subject just when their friends had found out about the arrangement? It wasn't that the conversation wasn't necessary, it was just that the timing was the worst ever. He wrote to her. He scratched the back of his neck, annoyed, not knowing what to do. Checked his phone. Made some tea. It got cold. Checked his phone, again. Wrote again. Tried reading the book he was studying now. Called her, but went to voicemail. He couldn't understand a word in the book. Checked his phone, yet another time. He put on Friends on Netflix. Drank the cold tea while scrolling and not paying attention to either thing. Cooked some dinner. Let it cool down.
Anne didn't answer. She felt her phone buzz several times, but decided not to mind it at least for a while. When she said she needed space and time to think she meant it. She knew she had to come back, but that could wait a while. And she was pretty sure that was Gilbert, she knew his pattern by now. Sadly. When her legs started hurting she lay down on the log, looking at the canopy and the clouds that were slowly passing by. She sighed. It was cold but she would not go back yet, and his hoodie was really nice and toasty. Maybe she could talk with Diana? She always helped her. Cole as well but he was on her black book for the moment. Cole would be the one, otherwise.
She took out her phone. Several notifications from Avongang, Cole and then Gilbert.
**Cole (16:32): Nan, I know you're mad. And I am terribly sorry about the whole thing. Call me when you can?
**Gil (17:15): Anne? Please come home. We can talk and sort this out.
**Jane Avongang (17:20): We all know the truth, Charlie. As always, they're in denial.
**Charlie Avongang (17:20): That's what I mean. You can feel the sexual tension all the way over to PEI. Why are they ignoring us again? Hey, Gil and Anne S-C, are you finally doing it?!
**Gil (18:08): Anne, please. At least tell me you're ok. I'm worried here.
Gil (19:25)
Missed FaceTime Audio Call
She could kill Charlie. And Jane. And Josie. And everyone there.
**Fred (19:43): So? Did the mythical Anne appear? I just finished dinner, wanna go looking for her? Ella can go in the other car.
**Gilbert Blythe (19:44): Nothing. I'll give her until dusk. Then we go. Please and thank you.
"Bash?" he finally gave was nearing 8:00 in the evening and there was no sign of her. He was going mental.
"What's up, Blythe? Here's a niece who wants to talk to you," he answered, passing the phone immediately to Delly.
"Uncle Gilby? When are you coming to visit? Pappa says you can't now but I want to go to the park and I can't do that also and I want to see Susan and Sam and that I can't do also… Mamma says I play inside now and she paints with me but she doesn't paint pretty. Does fairy Anne paint pretty? I really really really want to meet fairy Anne. Can I talk to her? Where is she? Can I talk to her? Please uncle Gilby? Pretty pretty please? She will know how to make mamma paint pretty…." Gilbert sighed.
"Delly, tell you what. We'll do a video playdate, what do you say? I'll read you a story and we'll act, you with your toys and I'll make something here. How does that sound?"
"And fairy Anne? Will she play as well?"
"I… believe she would, yes. Maybe if you ask nicely she will," he answered, trying to ignore the fact that she had been gone for more than three hours with no sign of anything.
"Can I ask her now?"
"No, she's busy at the moment. I'll tell her to call you tomorrow, ok? Can you pass over your dad, please?"
"Ok uncle Gilby. Tell fairy Anne I am very happy she came back from the awful place of despair," she said and Gilbert closed his eyes. She was way too smart for her age, even if she was just repeating stuff. He just hopped she would never tell Anne the stories he had made up out of missing her. "I love you uncle Gilby."
"Love you too, Delly-dough. Pass on your dad, please."
"What's up?"
"Go away from Delly because you don't want to put money in the swearing jar," Gilbert advised, knowing his brother by then.
"Ok, I'm out of earshot now. What's going on? Spill," he said after a moment.
"I fucked up with Anne. Bad. She stormed off almost four hours ago and hasn't answered anything. Avonlea's gang found out she's living here and cornered us. I then tried to speak about… whatever is going on between us, because there is something, Bash. I can just feel it. But now she's gone. Like not answering, not giving any sign, nothing. She can't be found outside or she'll get a huge fine. Maybe she has, by now. I don't know what to do. Honest," Gilbert explained quickly, before Bash interrupted him.
"You are so incredibly stupid," Bash commented after a moment. "Even if there is something going on between the two of you, why would you speak about that instead of letting it evolve naturally?"
"I didn't try to speak about that. I wanted to speak about what happened after graduation to clear it off because she is clearly hung up on that."
"Are you fucking stupid? Blythe, you're a freaking moron, how do you talk about that in that moment, just after she's been pressured into admitting something that's not there? You have to have more sense in your head than that! You finally get the girl to speak to you, acknowledge you exist and you start that shit? Everything in it's due time, brother! If you have an opportunity like this you don't let it go to fucking waste!"
"Yes. Well. Thank you. Anything useful you can say? I actually called asking for advice, not to be chastised," Gilbert answered, annoyed. He heard some noise over the phone and some muffled voices.
"Someone is putting plenty of toonies in the swear jar. We could hear him from the kitchen. What happened, honey?" Mary talked, worried.
"I fucked up, Mary. Big time. Did everything wrong, then made it worse," he said, feeling defeated, a knot on his throat.
"Care to elaborate?"
"Cole let out to the whole gang that Anne's here. They called us today. Videocall. I answered before realizing what was happening. Obviously they found out, there was a lot of teasing and when we finally could talk alone I asked Anne if we could have a conversation about what was going on, because she keeps in denial, like that's going to solve anything. She didn't want to, which shouldn't surprise anyone by this point… And I just kept pushing and pushing until both of us ended up saying everything we hadn't said in years. Not in a good, constructive or pretty way. I… finally, when I thought there was a chance, I had to do this. She went out and hasn't answered anything since about four in the afternoon," he explained.
"Gilbert, I won't be Bash here because he already gave you a piece of his mind. But can you explain to me what you were thinking? What were you expecting would happen? She's had a rough time, I know it's been a long time, but she will take time to get to trust you enough to speak more openly about these things," Mary said.
"I just believe that talking will help us get over what happened before. I really feel it's still an obstacle for her and it will not disappear if she doesn't confront it," he explained. "I… am ashamed to accept there were things I didn't even know until she told me about them today. So there's that. With no communication nothing real will happen and you know that's what I want with her. Something real," he trusted his train of thought wasn't irrational. It made sense, didn't it?
"Ok. Makes sense. I'll just assume she is safe for now because otherwise I'll go mental, but if she still hasn't said anything or came back when nightfall comes I want you to go out looking for her and I don't care if they catch you. Invent some excuse. So you wanted to speak about the whole 2010 mess, the timing was terrible, and what's done is done. How are you going to make this better? What did you find out today, can you do something about it?"
"I don't know, Mary. There's… fuck, I was so stupid back then. So utterly stupid. It doesn't even make sense to me now, what I was thinking when I was nineteen. Honestly."
"Gilbert, you are not making any sense. What did you do back then that only now seems important and can't be fixed? I thought it was all a communication thing. Mostly."
"Well, yes. Mostly. Until she told me today she saw me with Winifred in the forest several times."
"So what? Didn't you go all the time to the forest?"
"Well… yes and no. With Anne, we had some places that we had deemed off limits to go with other people. Because they were special, and more secluded, and so we went there when we wanted to escape and not be seen."
"Oh… so that's where you used to go?"
"Yes. But that's beside the point. Point is, I took Winifred there. Because it was secluded. Because we would not be seen," he didn't want to explain any more and hoped Mary would catch the idea.
"Gilbert Blythe you went to do what I think there with Winifred even though those were Anne spaces?!" Clearly she got the idea and Delly was still around. He sighed.
"Hence the I don't know what I was thinking ? I'm not proud of it, mind you. I wish I hadn't done it. But here I thought no one knew about that and it figures Anne saw us. More than one time."
"You took her more than… Gilbert Blythe!"
"Well, you wouldn't let her into the house! And I already told you I'm not proud! Can we focus on how I can make this better, please?"
"Have you even admitted to her this happened? Like, fully acknowledged the subject and took responsibility for it?"
"Of course not, when would I have done that? I found out today, was in shock, we were in the middle of a fight and then she disappeared. So no, Mary. I haven't said anything on that subject. I actually avoided it because I don't know what to do about it. She's right, I shouldn't have taken her there"
"Well, start by that! Don't give her details, I'm sure she doesn't even want to know them and, if she saw you there with Winifred I'm sure she has more in her mind than she wished. But acknowledge what you did, admit you did it and ask for forgiveness. And then hope, Gilbert. I know you, and I know you didn't do it with the purpose of hurting her but because you were a horny teen, but the matter of fact is that you did hurt her in her safe space. And that is hard for anyone, but imagine for someone who has precious little safe spaces. She had Green Gables. She had you. She had Cole and Diana. And she had that forest. So think about what you did while she comes back. Unless night starts to fall and then you go looking for her and god helps me you are to call me the minute she is back in that apartment of yours."
"I really did fuck up more than I though, didn't I?"
"Yes, Gilbert. Makes more sense the length of the grudge, now."
"And then I wasn't there… when Marilla and Matthew died. I didn't go because Cole and Diana were convinced it would only make it worse. But today she tells me she was expecting me. At least when Matthew died, she had lost hope when Marilla did. And that's another thing I can't undo, Mary"
"Next time, follow your gut. And now, if she lets you, help her process the loss. Her moving all the way to BC makes me think she has not really done it."
"She just keeps burying everything, Mary. She ignores the problems as if that's the way to make them go away. It's sick."
"Then help her process the loss. If she'll allow you. Show her you'll be there. It will take time, Gilbert. Anne is not quick to trust, you already know that. And you take it one step at a time. Don't push her, don't push conversations, guide but let her set the pace."
"What if there really is no hope in her forgiving me? What do I do then? I've managed, these years. But now that I had a glimpse of what life with her could be… I don't know if I could go back."
"If it comes to that, you'll always have us. Remember that. We will help you through it as we did before. But don't give up before trying, Gilbert. It's not like you."
"Right. Yes. Thank you. For listening, for everything," Gilbert said. "I think… I think I'll go try and cook something for when she comes back. She'll be freezing. You're the best."
"We love you, Gilbert. Remember that"
"I do. And I love you all as well. I'll let you know when she comes back."
"Hey, Di. Can you talk?" she said as soon as Diana picked up.
"Of course. Are you ok? What's going on?"
"I… We got into a bad fight after we hung up with you guys. Like really bad. Gilbert yelling and you know he doesn't yell," she said quietly, a knot in her throat and tears pooling again in her eyes. She was so tired of crying.
"Oh, Anne. What happened? Want to talk about it?" Diana asked, notably worried.
"It's… I have been trying. For months. But I don't know how to forgive him, Di. And then he denies stuff and acts as if I hadn't seen anything and… He says there's something going on between us, but I really don't want to. I…"
"Anne, you're rambling. What was this fight with Gilbert? Wait, Jerry, you can talk to her after, can't…" she got off the phone and Anne heard some sort of discussion, but couldn't make out the words. She hated when they spoke in French so she wouldn't understand.
"Anne, Jerry here. Sorry to interrupt. You have to stop this. Now," he said, in his serious, old brotherly voice Anne knew so well and had come to love and hate. She stayed silent. She wanted to talk with compassionate, bosom friend Diana. Not with Jerry.
"Pass the phone back to Di?"
"Not happening. Not until you talk with me. What's the matter now? What's this fight about?"
"Jerry, pass the phone back to Diana," she insisted.
"No, Anne. You're talking with me today. Wife agrees and everything. So tell me. It's not like I wouldn't find out."
"I don't want to talk to you. You're mean and cold and…"
"And I love you and I've been with you through thick and thin, so there's that. We're stuck with each other, if you remember well," he insisted, referencing some of Marilla's last words. Jerry had lived with them for the last years, after Matthew passed away and until they had to give Green Gables, and even if he had a giant family, he had become more of a Cuthbert than he would ever admit. Until Marilla brought the two of them together when she was so sick it pained them and asked them to never let go of each other. Anne groaned in response.
"It's mean to play that card."
"You said I'm mean, so it's expected. So, your fight?"
"Ugh, I hate you sometimes. So nosy."
"Anne, I'm not getting any younger here."
"Fine! No judging, k? And don't interrupt. We hung up, then Gilbert started saying that we should talk about what he thinks are the facts right now, and insisted on saying there's something between us, that there isn't, mind you. And then saying that what happened years ago was just a series of misunderstandings! As if I hadn't seen them, Jerry! As if he hadn't gotten around with Winifred for weeks! It grew from there and then we were just yelling and him telling me how hurt he is and I just told him how much it hurted, it still hurts, and how he was supposed to be when I needed him and he never was."
"Well of course he's hurt as well, Anne. He has always cared for you, even when you didn't notice. It's only normal that he hurts."
"I don't need you to defend him!"
"I'm not, not yet. I'm only saying that it's normal that he is hurt as well. Look, I've never been close to him. Most days I don't even like him. But he was in my class for most of school, until his father got sick. So I do know him and I've known him for way longer than you have. And he cared for you since you came to school. And then he changed completely just so you would notice him. He does care, Anne," he insisted. She snorted. Of all the things, Jerry defending Gilbert Blythe…
"Where's your brotherly loyalty?"
"Right here, don't you worry. I do keep Marilla's words present, mind you. How about yours?"
"Jerry! So not helping."
"I am too. If you'd let me. So, we've established that he cared and still cares for you. Because that's how Blythe men are, historically. Makes no sense, but they care for longer than it's sensible and are ridiculously loyal. Or so I was told. Now, here's where the brotherly loyalty comes in. Want to know what Marilla asked me, when she asked you out of the hospital room?" Anne felt cold. She had not expected this. It had seemed so, so strange when Marilla wanted a few minutes with only Jerry, when she had touched the most personal subjects with both of them there, seating next to each other. Diana in the waiting room. Jerry had never told her a word of what had happened there. "Marilla wanted me, of all people, to put some sense into you. Because she had tried for years and you wouldn't listen, and she thought maybe, when the time was right, I would be able to get through you. And now the time is as right as it'll ever be."
"What in the world are you talking about?" asked Anne, her voice so quiet she was sure Jerry wouldn't listen.
"I'm talking about you and Blythe. And Marilla wishing you would see it in your heart that Blythe would never purposely hurt you. That it is, indeed, a series of misunderstandings aggravated with teen hormones."
"She couldn't- she wouldn't."
"She did, Anne. I know you are stubborn but why on earth would I make this up? What's in it for me? If you're never with Blythe, fine by me. I don't care for him, not after all you've suffered. I honestly think you deserve better and if it wasn't because you started talking with him again because of this quarantine, I might never have broached the subject. And yet, here I am passing on the message of our mother figure: John Blythe's son would never hurt on purpose."
"I… I don't know how to forgive him, Jerry. I have tried. I can't."
"Answer me this, then: do you think, for everything you know about Gilbert, that he would go out of his way to hurt anyone?"
"No," she answered immediately. It was a preposterous idea, Gilbert hurting someone.
"Why would he want to hurt you, the only girl he paid attention to for years?" he asked. Anne was silent.
"He went with…"
"Stop the Winifred crap. I actually do believe you said something when drunk. Wouldn't be beside you. And at the time, if you had told Blythe to jump off a building he would have. Answer me. Why would he want to hurt you?" he cut her. It was Jerry: he never minded interrupting her and giving her a piece of his mind. And being direct and blunt with everything.
"He was bored of me? I wasn't enough?" she said, just because it seemed logical. She wasn't sure of either thing, to be honest.
"What makes you think that, Anne?" asked Jerry. She was silent again.
"He wasn't there when I needed him…"
"Would you have been, if the situation was reversed?" She would not. If she had had all the calls, texts and absolutely everything turned down for years, she wouldn't have called either. "What are you afraid of, honestly? Look deep inside you. In your heart. What would it take to understand that he isn't the only one to blame and you have in your hands the option of making this right? Is it him you have to forgive? Or is it you who has to let go? You who has to forgive yourself for the role you played in all this?"
"I liked you better when you didn't bring messages from the grave," she answered, feeling unsettled. He did have a point. She had never stopped to think about...
"Anne, damn, answer me the question," said Jerry, who was clearly as uncomfortable with the conversation as she was.
"I don't know, Jerry! I never thought about this this way! It was always clear, but…"
"It's in your hands, Anne. You won't be able to forgive him if you don't forgive yourself as well. Think of it as a package deal. And I'm not even talking about you going out with him, I'm talking about your mental health."
"When did you get so smart?"
"Working the fields gives you much time to think," he answered. "Anyway, sis. Go back to that git's flat. I'm sure you're on top of a tree and don't know how to go back. Just do and give no explanation, but think about this, ok?"
"I'm not on top of a tree!" she said, getting off the log quickly.
"Then I'm sure it's only because there are not any you can climb easily. Bye now. Let me know how it goes, I have an actual child to tend to. Love you."
Gilbert heard the lock from the front door and got up quickly from the dining table where he had been trying to study, but by the time he got to the front of the house he heard the door of his bedroom close quietly. He sighed. Anne sat on the floor, against the door, lest Gilbert opened it. She didn't want to talk with him, not yet. She had Jerry's, and by extension Marilla's word in her mind.
"Anne? Did everything go ok outside?" he asked. He wasn't sure about asking her how she was, he thought it was evident that she wasn't well.
"Yes. No one spoke to me," she willed herself to answer.
"I'd like to talk to you, if you'd allow me? I feel I have some explaining and apologizing to do, and that you deserve," he said.
"I'm not opening, Gilbert. I'd appreciate it if you'd leave me alone," she answered after a moment. Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after she would be ready. When she figured how to let go, forgive him and forgive herself.
"I cooked some dinner. I'll leave it in the microwave in case you get hungry," he said, feeling terrible about everything. He turned to leave, but turned again. "I understand you don't want to talk to me right now. But I'd rather not have you going hungry to bed. I won't bother you if you come out to eat, I'll be reading." He went back to the living room and organized his bed and picked up his book before getting into the sheets.
Gilbert Blythe (20:37): She's back. Apparently ok, didn't get a chance to see her before she went into the room.
Gilbert Blythe Family (20:37): She's back. Apparently ok, didn't get a chance to see her before she went into the room.
Fred (20:38): Thanks for letting me know. See you tomorrow? We can get a coffee over this.
Gilbert Blythe (20:38): Sure thing.
Mary Family (20:38): Thank god. Can I talk to her?
Gilbert Blythe Family (20:38): Locked herself. Maybe call her on her phone?
Mary Family (20:39): Gilbert, I'm going to call you and you are passing the phone to her. You both are not fifteen.
Bash Family (20:39): Listen to my wife, bro.
He looked at the phone. For adding dramatism and so Anne couldn't say it was a ruse, he turned on the volume and waited. Just then he heard the door from his bedroom open, and Anne came out, clad in her tiny shorts, but still his old hoodie. She went straight to the kitchen, sight on the floor, shoulders down. He heard the tell-tale bips of the microwave and then its noise. His phone rang, making him jump even if he had been expecting it.
"Hi there," he answered.
"So, is she ok?" Mary insisted.
"I think so. She did say no one talked to her so she shouldn't be in any trouble," he explained.
"Pass her on," Mary said.
"Mary, honestly, it's not necessary," he said, hearing the timer go off in the kitchen.
"This is not for you, it's for me, ok? Pass her on, Gilbert," he sighed and got up, walking to the kitchen.
"Sorry to bother you… Mary's on the line, she wishes to speak to you?" he said, fully expecting her to yell at him. She looked at him, surprised, and left the bowl she'd been eating from on the counter before extending her hand.
"Hi, Mary," she said, voice neutral.
"Anne, honey, how are you?" Anne looked at Gilbert, closing her eyes slightly. How much had he told her? Now she had the Lacroix family knowing everything? Gilbert looked in bad shape, if she was being honest. He turned and busied himself with putting water to boil.
"I'm ok, considering," she decided. It was kind of honest but didn't give that much away.
"Look, I'm honestly sorry to intrude. But I think it would be better for you if you heard what that git you live with has to say. It's high time he apologized and when I talked to him this afternoon he seemed willing to do so," Mary said, in a serious voice that implied she was not happy at all with Gilbert. Anne frowned.
"What did he tell you?" Gilbert closed his eyes. What was Mary saying to her?
"I don't think it's necessary that I go into the details. Let's just say he said enough he got a scolding from both me and Bash, and here we thought he had overgrown that," Anne huffed. "Seriously, dear. I'm not telling you to forgive him if you don't want to. But at least listen to him. If anything, you can go your way as soon as PEI opens and we'll remind him how utterly stupid he's been."
"I don't know if I can do that," she confessed.
"What? Forgiving him? Or going away?"
"Both. Neither. I… I don't think I can. I'm trapped in between," she accepted. Gilbert put out a couple of cups and put a bag of her favourite chamomile in one, a spicy chai in the other. He tried not to think what Anne was trapped in. He only hoped it wasn't him.
"You do realize you can do both?"
"One depends on the other. I was talking with Jerry about it, actually. Well, not exactly, but the idea remains true enough," she explained, and took a couple of spoonfuls of soup. Gilbert was learning something, this was nice.
"Well, be as it may, just don't clam up. It's not good for you. And call us if you need anything. We're not taking sides in this and if I was, I would be on your team. Got it?" Mary said.
"Got it," she answered, before taking another spoonful. "I'll call you one of these days."
"Sure thing, Anne. Bash says hi, by the way, and Delly is crazy about meeting you."
"She sounds like a dear," Anne commented.
"She is. Bye now. Love you," said Mary and hung up. Anne looked left the phone on the counter and scraped the remains of the bowl. Wasn't there any more of this? Gilbert had left a cup of tea for her and gone to the living room, not making a sound. She opened the door of the fridge and moved things around looking for any tupper that looked like soup. Humph.
"Everything's good?" He asked tentatively. Anne debated with herself for a second.
"Yes. Is there any more of that soup?"
"You liked it? I put it to the back so it would be in the way," he said, crouching next to her and reaching to get a large tupper towards the back. "Here you have. I left you tea."
"Yes. Thank you," she said, feeling uncomfortable. She did know they had to talk. How to broach the subject was another thing altogether. He grabbed his phone and turned to leave, faithful to his word of not bothering her. She went back to the room and closed the door, frustrated with everything that had happened that day and with a talk in the tip of her mouth that refused to come out. It felt like a whole week.
Notes:
We'll be back on Saturday, promise! What are your thoughts on this?
We know several countries are imposing new lockdowns for Christmas... We hope everyone is safe and at home.