Hi, you all!
This road trip is starting today. Are you ready? Your wait has come to an end! Five-ish hours of driving ahead! We have SO MUCH MUSIC for today. First things first: you have to listen to the first playlist. It's so, so important for this chapter. We have mentioned it a couple of times, but this time? We mean it more than ever. You can actually travel along them. So listen to the music!
Here's the one you can't skip: open .dot. spotify .dot playlist/6BgQqvuEq8jzUbKm1yLH15?si=JY2zQTJST1y42Wj3lFUPhA If you go to Hikari's profile, there are a couple of bonus soundtracks there as well.
Fuel tank filled, sandwiches packed, sleeping arrangements made, everyone ready? Let's go!
Chapter Text
As soon as Gilbert turned on the ignition, Anne connected her phone to the bluetooth.
"Ready? This is not only the best playlist for a road trip. It is the best possible playlist for our roadtrip," she said.
"And how is that so, Carrots?" he asked, teasing.
"Well, for once, we did it. And second, there are so many good songs! So many good memories!" she put play and Gilbert laughed as Sunday from Office Hours started.
"Well, you're starting off track. It's Wednesday," he said. Anne stuck her tongue out to him.
"It's about sunrise! And it has the more roadtrippy rhythm!" she argued, lowering the window as the weather was already warm despite it being only seven in the morning. Gilbert laughed, turning up the volume, driving relaxed as they both sang, the sky blue, not a cloud in sight.
"Did you actually put any order in this playlist or what?" Gilbert asked, as the next song began. Anne laughed.
"I thought we were going to be asleep and in need of waking up?" she explained sheepishly and he laughed even harder.
"And here I thought you wanted to start with reminiscing so early in the morning," he commented, remembering the energy of the hockey finals in grade eleven. Before he left the team to focus on medicine exam studies. How the whole stadium had sung after Anne had somehow convinced the supervising teacher to put on Thunderstruck . The whole 300+ people that were rooting for Avonlea High team shouting and singing thunder repeatedly accompanied by the AC/DC song. He was supposed to pay attention to what was happening in the last minute strategy meeting as captain, but he only had eyes for Anne, wearing his spare hockey jersey, her bright eyes as she made even proper Diana scream. His grin had been so big Billy Andrews had pushed him just to see if he could shake it off.
"Oh, I'm all for it, don't get me wrong. But this one is in this position for the rhythm," she said, giggling.
"I just want to know this: how on earth did you convince Mr. Phillips to put on that song at that point of the game? There were hardly five minutes left! Of the overtime!" Anne laughed as she remembered how she had somehow convinced Prissy Andrews to bat her lashes at Mr. Phillips. "Well, you know how Mr. Phillips had the biggest crush on Prissy?"
"Prissy Andrews?"
"The same. Well, he did, anyway. And we girls knew that. Prissy knew it. So I convinced her to… go and smile at him as she pressured for the song to be played. I hid, of course. He couldn't see me or else it wouldn't have happened."
"What was it with you and him, anyway?" Gilbert asked, remembering the rivalry she had with that teacher.
"Oh, I was just too opinionated for him. Too many drastic views. Too outspoken and challenging. And I was adopted, a redhead, and a menace to the order he had put on in the school."
"You were all that school needed, honestly. It was a boring hole before you came, and then I really had some motivation to go."
"Yeah, right. We didn't even talk until about a year after I arrived."
"Believe me, I know. It was painful. Figuratively and literally. I just kept going to mop with dad and he was enchanted with you since the first minute. That year went on pretty fast, all I could do was think of ways for you to forgive me," he said, as he incorporated the highway.
"Well, did it work then?"
"What?"
"The song. It was the finals. And you were just so close. I felt like you really needed a nudge. And then how that stadium felt with everyone yelling thunder at the same time… Thuuuuuunder eagles!" she yelled, her arms up. Gilbert chuckled.
"It did. It was… That kind of energy, I've never felt it after that. So many people rooting for the same, just a game, something innocent… We won, didn't we?"
"We did. I would like to take some credit, if you don't mind, captain Blythe,"
"I don't mind. I'm pretty sure Moody and Charlie would agree and all, they felt energized after that and they were already tired. Tie in the finals. Minutes left in the overtime. We really didn't want to go to shootouts and that was just about to happen. We were so, so tired," he remembered. Every bone ached. At that moment, and the following days. But by then they were champions, so it didn't really matter.
"We all could tell. And frustrated, to top it all. But the guys from Carmody were in the same state and you were playing as locals, there was bound to be some advantage," she countered.
"Advantage as having an ex-student seduce a grumpy and biased teacher so he puts on a song?"
"Exactly! If it wasn't then, then when? We had to take our chances, especially as it was your last game. I still think you should have kept playing… You were so good," Anne tone was slightly reproachful, as she still felt he had somehow wasted his talent.
"I wasn't. You're biased there. PEI is a tiny island with shitty hockey and there was no way I could get any sort of scholarship out of it. Best bet was to try to get an academic one, for which I could have some chance," he countered. An argument they had had over and over in grade eleven. And then at the beginning of grade twelve. She pouted. "And that pout is not going to get you anywhere, Carrots. Didn't work then, not working now."
"You're not fun," she said, but he could tell she was joking.
The mood was light, the choice of songs prompting more and more conversations of their school years, stories about their parents (Anne had insisted they included plenty of Marilla, Matthew and John's songs in there) and discoordinated singing. The winner for Anne was when they tried with absolute no success to sing the choir of Take on me by A-Ha, ending with a fit of giggles Gilbert had to control as quickly as he could so he could drive somewhat safely. Anne put the song from the beginning one more time.
"Come on! We can do this!"
"We can't, Anne, and we will crash! We've never been able to, what makes you think ten years of not practicing have made any kind of difference in this matter?"
"Faith in us? Come on, just this last time! It's coming now, Slateface!" she said as the chorus approached again. Gilbert joined her reluctantly, trying hard not to laugh and keep his eyes on the road. "Take on me….take me on... I'll be gone... In a day or two!" They failed. Of course. Anne laughed so hard her belly was hurting.
Her belly hurting reminded Anne they hadn't had any breakfast yet, save for a slice of banana bread they had eaten just before going out. And that had been almost two hours ago. She googled quickly. They were already out of Oshawa, the last of what could be remotely considered the Toronto area. They were crossing near a tiny village called Newcastle… and next Tim Horton's for some ice coffee was some fifteen kilometers away. Well, as good as it could get for a while. Searching for a song, she added it to the queue so it played next.
Gilbert turned to look at her as the upbeat and happy, but decidedly retro music started. He had been at Green Gables enough so he could recognize one of Matthew's favourite groups and the first verse just confirmed his suspicions. They had added plenty of their parent's songs but that one right then, that was not a coincidence. The Mamas & The Papas. He chuckled.
" Blueberries for breakfast ? Hungry much?" he asked, teasing.
"Hungry? Me? How can you ever think that?" she feigned innocence.
"So you just didn't googled the nearest Timmies around here?" he asked, skeptical, because he had seen some map on her screen a few minutes ago.
"Eleven minutes down this route! Come on, Blythe, coffee and dry sandwiches await!"
"We really should have wrapped them yesterday."
"You wouldn't let me do my thing. I was there, preparing a nice breakfast for us, and you somehow manage to spoil it," she teased.
"You were not complaining then," he said with a knowing smile. She blushed some, but tried to shrug it off.
"I'm not complaining about that. You're the one complaining, Gilbert Blythe. And it's a good thing we remembered to pack them this morning. So, can we stop?"
"Of course we can, Anne-girl. Whenever you want," he answered. "That's such a good breakfast song."
"It was Matthew's. I'm just stealing his genius. He used to put this on Sunday mornings and Marilla would make some pancakes. The best pancakes ever. I just loved Sunday mornings… I hated going to church with them, it felt weird after not having done it before, but Sundays were so nice in Green Gables. Matthew at home, Marilla relaxed, blueberry pancakes for breakfast and the leftovers for dessert..."
"They were the best. All she cooked was good. She taught you well," he said.
"She tried, at least. I'm afraid I didn't pay much attention to some things and now I wish I had… that sourdough starter? She tried so many times to get me started and I just hated it then, it made no point if I could just buy the fresh yeast."
"Yes, until a pandemic made everyone want to become a baker," Gilbert said. "I still don't get how it was the flour, one of the things to go scarce. If people didn't bake before, why would they now?"
"Probably something to pass the time? Convinced themselves this is an apocalypse and flour will save them? I have no idea, but I was so grateful when you managed to get some back in April."
"Would have never known, so much you talked back then…" he commented without thinking. He had gone to all the supermarkets he had been able to think of until he had found a couple of 5 kilos bags of flour that she had put on the list. Shortly after that, bread started to appear in the house. Those were the days she still locked herself in his bedroom. "Anyway, I'm glad you do now," he added, not wanting the moment to get tense, and squeezed her hand lightly. The moment could not go tense for long, anyway, as Hakuna Matata started and they were singing like they used to as kids, when John would join them and teach Anne how to make a fort.
Soon enough they arrived at the highway stop and approached the reliable Tim Horton's putting their masks on as they walked. Anne had a tote bag with the sandwiches, so they could eat on the small patch of grass that was just behind the car, as the tables inside the cafe were still not up for use. Gilbert opened the door for Anne and she came in, still talking about how they should definitely do another fort, and they approached the cashier, who received them with a smile that reached her eyes, despite the mask and the plexiglass shield.
"A double double? I really need to go to the washroom," Gilbert asked her, squeezing her hand lightly and leaving her as he went to the back of the local as Anne nodded.
"Hi, what can I get you?" the cashier smiled.
"A double double... medium?" Gilbert hadn't actually said what size he wanted. The cashier tapped on her computer.
"And for your husband?" she asked, the same smile on her face. Anne blushed, shocked. Gilbert was not her husband! What could give that idea? "Darling?"
"The… the… the double double is for him?" she stammered, not knowing how to contradict her. "I... er… ice coffee? Large, please. Almond milk."
"Anything to eat?"
"Timbits? The assorted box" Anne said, even if she didn't really want them, just because she couldn't think coherently.
"Of course," said the cashier and then looked to the side, where Gilbert was coming back at a hurried pace, taking his wallet off his pocket. "Oh, here he is. Darling, your double double is large or medium? Your wife isn't sure…"
"Wife? I… medium, medium is good," he said, a slight frown that went away quickly. He looked at Anne, blushed and uncomfortable. Hadn't she corrected the lady? There again… wife? He smiled.
"I… washroom," she said, and disappeared as Gilbert paid, listening to Love You for a Long Time by Maggie Rogers in the background. He received everything (timbits? At this time of the morning?) and went back outside.
Anne felt her phone buzz when she was drying her hands. Taking it out, she saw a message from Gilbert.
**Gil (8:50): I'll wait for you by the car. Take your time. Wife. 😏
**Anne S-C (8:51): Ok. Don't go so quick, now
Wife? She was not wife material. Not now. Not ever. Too clumsy and homey and stubborn and… she could love Gilbert, but they've been together for like two days, and she still didn't even know what to do with her life. Not even where to live it. She couldn't be a wife. Why would the cashier say anything of the sort? Oh, god, what would Gilbert think? She didn't want him to think she was pressuring in any way. Maybe take the whole thing with humour?
"Here you go, husband," she said, taking out the sandwiches and passing one to him as she sat. Sarcasm and humour in her voice, Gilbert noticed, as if it was a huge joke. He smiled softly. He hoped it wouldn't be. Right? He was so, so sure about Anne… But maybe this was going fast? He really needed to speak with Bash about all this. They ate in silence after that, both lost in thought, and went to the car. Anne looked at the playlist, biting her lips. She wanted something happy and optimistic that took them away from the uncomfortable silence they were in.
There. Here Comes the Sun . The Beatles were always good for awkward silences. It elicited a laugh from Gilbert the instant it started playing as if there was some big joke he knew about the song. And she didn't, clearly.
"What?"
"Did you ever wonder why dad used to call you sunshine?" he asked, still chuckling.
"Well, isn't it a regular endearment term? We were kindred spirits, after all," she said as if it was obvious. She had never actually questioned it, too happy at the time to think about why she was being called some nice thing and not the other, and more focused on the fact she had a real home with the Cuthberts, and a kindred spirit in John Blythe.
"It is a regular endearment term, don't get me wrong. But for him? There was a reason," Gilbert said, smiling fondly at the memory and shaking his head lightly as he remembered his father sneaking behind him at odd times to sing bits and pieces of the song when he was least expecting him.
"Well? What was it?" Anne prompted, curious, as Gilbert seemed suddenly lost in thought. He swallowed, suddenly unsure of how much to share. "Gil?"
"Well… Thing is, Anne, I've been smitten with you for longer than you can imagine. It… probably began as puppy love, I won't deny it. But the way you hit me with that slate and then proceeded to ignore me, even when you came home to visit my dad… I was gone," Anne looked at him, frowning. This was… new. Made sense, somehow. She didn't think he was inventing it. But he had never spelled it out like this before. "And my dad was the first to notice, of course. I wouldn't shut up about the girl who had broken her new slate on my head. That's why he went to the Cuthberts making some excuse to talk with Marilla, just so he could meet you, and then you two hit it off. It was mortifying, because you would come and chat with him for hours and ignore me coldly," he said, chuckling.
"You were a prat, then," she said, stubbornly.
"Probably. I was trying to get you to forgive me. Anyway… So he was convinced I looked happier whenever you were around, which I was, of course. I would come back from school frustrated about how you had ignored me, but then he would ask something about you and I would just melt and be all smiles. I wasn't all smiles for a while back then, before we met. He said I did smile, but they never reached my eyes. Like some joker who didn't really believe the joke he was telling. Anyway, so one day… You know how we used to play the guitar?"
"In theory, because you kept hiding," she said, curious as to where the story was going. Gilbert wasn't usually very open about the time before she had come to Avonlea, and even less about all the things he did with his dad. He had always been very private about most stuff, even if she knew he shared more with her than with most.
"Well, thing is, we played together. And one day he comes and says to me, Gilly-boy, I finally found your song for this period of your life. And it's all thanks to your Anne-girl, " Gilbert said, trying to mimic his father's voice and failing miserably. Anne laughed. "And he starts singing this. Telling me how you were this ray of sunshine in my life," he smiled fondly at the memory and Anne did, as well, remembering how one day she suddenly was Sunshine for John. Now it made some more sense.
"So, Sunshine, eh?" Anne asked, smiling softly at the memory of good-hearted John.
"Sunshine," Gilbert nodded, before continuing with his story. "But he didn't stop there, after we played it. He insisted with the song. Made it a theme. He would sneak behind me when I was doing some boring chore with the do, dun, do, do or some other part, suddenly, and he would always startle me. It was very annoying, especially because he never dropped it, not even when you finally started talking to me. Or when Bash came to the house," he chuckled again, remembering how John had explained to a much younger Bash what the teasing was all about, while Gilbert tried to shut him, his ears very red, very annoyed at the prospect of someone joining his dad in the teasing. Especially Bash. "So then I had both of them, because of course Bash would join in anything my dad proposed, even more if it was coming at me with some kind of joke… They started singing random bits of Here Comes the Sun whenever I was lost in thought doing something… I actually believe they had some signal, because they always started at the same time, in the same exact verse. But now I can't help but smile when listening to it. I hated it for years when they just wouldn't shut about it." Anne laughed, the image of John and Bash sneaking behind Gilbert too much for her to handle.
"Now everything makes sense," she commented after a moment, watching the landscape.
"Yes, about that… I'm just guessing here, but there is bound to be some degree of teasing. I anticipate a whole lot of it coming from Bash. So… just ignore him, please? I know it is all directed at me, and you should know that too."
"What? Why?"
"It's what he's done for half my life. Teasing me about you. So now that I'm finally with you, he's bound to increase the teasing. So… just know it's not aimed at you. Try not to feel self-conscious or anything. Or even deny it. Denying anything with him will only make it worse," he explained. Anne laughed, but agreed to try, at least.
Wonderwall , in a lovely acoustic version by Ryan Adams started playing, the silence happy and comfortable as Gilbert held her hand, stroking hers lightly with his thumbs, the car on cruise control on the straight highway. This was really the best road trip ever. As if on cue, the song changed to Road Trippin by Red Hot Chili Peppers.
"Remember how we used to sing this one on our way to Charlottetown, when we went with Cole and Diana?" Anne asked him. He turned to her and smiled, remembering the Saturday escapades they used to do when Bash let him take the car. "It seemed like the most iconic song for a road trip at the time."
"You were all about iconic things back then," he chuckled.
"I was all about travelling back then. Good thing you had your licence!" she answered as she joined the lyrics. " It's time to leave this town it's time to steal away... "
" Let's go get lost, let's go get lost …" Gilbert joined her, as he saw the exit he had been waiting for and went to the exit lane. She looked at him smiling, loving the sound of his voice.
"I wasn't meaning take the song literally, Gil," Anne said when it was evident he was leaving the highway.
"I know. Pure coincidence. We're making a stop, I want to show you something close to here," he commented, as the road changed from the highway to a more residential one, lined with houses and more and more trees when he turned right. Anne looked giddy.
"Where are we going?"
"Now, I'm not ruining the surprise, Carrots… You'll just have to wait for a bit. It's about twenty minutes from here, anyway, so be patient," he said, as they crossed a small town full of parks and big, green trees. But soon there were only fields, a small cemetery, generic Ontarian country road. Until they turned sharply to the right again, the road even smaller, not even lines painted in it, and then to the left.
"Gil, where are we going?" she asked again, excited as she peeked a sliver of the lake between a couple of houses and trees.
"Anne-girl, patience is good, we're almost there," Gilbert smiled, and squeezed her hand. He loved when she got all excited at the prospect of anything. He turned again after a bit and they were suddenly in the middle of many, many trees. As they approached a hut Anne squeaked.
"We're going to a park?!"
"We are. Now, let me go down and pay the parking fee, give me just a sec," he confirmed, stopping the car. She debated on whether to check on her phone where they were, but didn't really want to spoil whatever Gilbert had thought of. So she tried to wait patiently, drinking what was left of her iced coffee. It was a hot day, they had to be nearing thirty degrees. And still so early. He came back quickly.
"Ok, let's go," he said, starting the car again. Not even ten minutes later he turned left on a tiny road that ended in a parking lot. "Now, this is not like the trails we're used to… It's on a boardwalk, because it's actually a marsh. Just giving you a heads up. But… the trees are the nicest and I know you will love them and their shapes," he explained, before they went down.
"It sounds perfect," she smiled, opening the door and turning around. He stayed behind, took a small package from the glove compartment and put it in his pocket before going down and following her. They walked hand in hand, soon getting to the boards Gilbert had been telling her about. It felt like being in the middle of the marsh, floating in it, patches of water and everything so, so green and moist in the summer's heat. They were in a comfortable silence, Gilbert mulling on what he wanted to speak with her.
"So… remember the wooden figures, the animals?" he asked finally.
"Yes. They are on my nightstand," she answered. She had watched them closely, caressing them and remembering the warm feeling the fox used to give her. So soft. She regretted most days having burned every memory of Gilbert at the time. Now she longed to have something. Anything.
"Right… Well, when I bought them, I had all this big plan," he commented, her hand still in his, his voice very soft, mingling with the songs of the birds and the sound of the wind. She didn't say anything, the anticipation of hearing the story she had been wondering about for weeks getting to her. "I gave you the fox first, because at the time… When we went to the forest, you always talked of a fox as your friend. You used to write stories about him, about how he protected the fairies of the forest and together they took care of lost baby animals," he smiled fondly at the memory. They walked in silence for some minutes, Anne remembering suddenly all the stories she had used to make. Her mind had done wonders at erasing them from her memory when they had become too painful, but now she longed for them.
"I wish I could remember all the stories you made out of the fox we saw only the one time. All orange, black tail and paws. I have done my best to not let go of the ones I remember, and Delly has a great image of you because of them…" Gilbert continued, a sad chuckle with his voice, but then trailed off again. He loved those stories. If he had any talent at writing he would have put them down so they didn't get lost, only for Delly to have. He cleared his throat, talking about the small wooden animals, a more emotional subject than he anticipated, for all the lost hopes they now represented. But for all the new ones, as well. "Anyway, the figures. So… I gave you the fox first. It was for all the stories. For our forest. For what we could share of our childhoods in there, with the story club and the walks and the snow fights. It never occurred to me, when I bought them, that somehow we would… stop speaking. Grow apart, get into a fight… It never crossed my mind. I was so sure you were always going to be there. That eventually, when we both were ready, there might even be something more between us. Then… it all went to shit."
Anne chuckled sadly, the memory of the end of grade twelve now not as painful as it had been not two months back. It used to be a sharp stab, now it was filled with longing, a dull pain similar to the one of an old scar. She caressed the back of his hand with her thumb, trying to tell him without words that it was getting better. That she was getting there. That somehow, being with him, seeing him again, having so many hard conversations, was helping. He looked at her and felt relief in her expression.
"The idea had been to give you each of the figures as something big happened. The bee was going to be for our graduation," he explained.
"Spelling-bee much?"
"Yeah," he chuckled. "Maybe it was a silly idea. I don't even know now. But I know I had a plan for each of them. For when you got your first place. For your first teaching job. For when you graduated uni… But as I could never carry on with the plan, I just left them in a shoebox to collect dust for years. Until we found them some weeks ago."
"It's… Such a beautiful gesture, Gilbert. Like, the whole concept of it. Makes me regret even more that I burnt the fox…" she said, biting her lips. She had somehow made the set miss a limb. An important one. All because she had felt too much hurt to put anything into perspective and had acted harshly, impulsively. As she always did. But back then, there didn't seem to be any hope for them. For anything. And it hurt so much to look at the tiny fox.
Gilbert stopped walking and stood in front of her, looking at her in the eyes. He held both her hands in his, and smiled softly.
"I have something for you," he said quietly, as if somehow the birds were going to listen to their secrets. "Close your eyes, Anne-girl." She did as directed, feeling her stomach flip in anticipation of whatever he had in mind. He leaned and gave her a peck on the lips and let go of one of her hands, taking the small package packed in craft paper and putting it in both her hands, closing her fingers over it. She felt the crumbliness of paper, a small something, hard, in it. "I feel like we've come such a long way since March… And that whatever happened in 2010 is finally on the mend. I already gave you the rest of the animals. But there is only one piece missing," he whispered as her fingers, clasped in between the small parcel and his hands, tried to imagine what could be there. She felt a knot on her throat, anticipation burning. But it wasn't really possible. "I don't want us to have missing pieces. You make me whole. And I dare only to hope it's the same for you," he continued, watching as tears collected on the rim of her closed eyes. "You can open your eyes, now."
She looked at their hands. The tiny parcel that had somehow felt so much bigger with her eyes closed. She opened it with shaking fingers, revealing a new fox figurine. It wasn't the exact same- they probably didn't keep doing the same model for years and years. But it had the same style. The same waxy feeling. The same timeless design and soft colours.
She choked, a sob she couldn't really contain, and he hugged her closely, caressing her back soothingly for as long as she needed. There was no need for words, now, the communication was silent but so effective as they breathed in synchrony in the boardwalk in the middle of the park. The past finally healed, a whole lot of opportunities in front of them.
They walked in silence, his arm around her waist holding her close as she clenched the fox figure in her hand as if it could disappear if she let go. They went into the car, still feeling like the haze of the moment as if it was not quite real. She fumbled with her free hand, searching for the song that had come to her mind as they walked back, even if it was definitely unseasonal. Soon Autumn Town Leaves started playing and they drove in silence, enveloped by the soothing music by Iron & Wine as they left the park and went back to the high speed highway
Notes:
So... how's that for a roadtrip? Did you actually think these guys were getting to Montreal today? We're super curious! What was your favorite moment? Any time your heart beated a little bit faster?
So that's all for today... Next Wednesday, they'll definitely be in Montreal.
