Hi folks!
That time again! Well almost! It's somehow back to a Tuesday evening. But again, if it doesn't happen now its not going to, and there maybe some radio silence soon, so much to do! I'm a mum afterall and its nearing the end of term and then, then its the six weeks holidays! Six weeks! Of a seven and a to year old! I will update where I can and thank you all, thank you for your reviews your follows, I am so grateful for them all!
So here I'm going into some serious issues again.
So i talked about sexual abuse earlier and here is some on physical mental... well abuse. Again I want to emphasise abuse is never okay, its never okay and if you are in an abusive relationship, please please get out! There is help there is a way out and away from your partner and please take your babies with you away from the abusive partner (again, I'm not putting a gender on this both sexes can be abusive!) Its not you, its never your fault! Please!
There are National abuse hotlines in every country and countless websites, so please!
Again, I mean I can imagine trying to react to this sort of problem, and all the advice I can find tells you not to push them into telling you something is wrong, I'm trying to get it right and its hard! So Apologises, and I hope I've written it okay.
love Carrots.
"I don't understand it!" Katherine exclaimed coming out of the lecture theatre complaining to another one of the students. "Why does she have to win at everything she does"
"Katherine, come on," The girl said. "Her argument was sound."
"Her argument was invalid!" Katherine continued "There is no God! No judgement other then the world around us"
"Shhh!" The girl shushed Katherine as Anne and Owen walked past.
Anne looked momentarily hurt but said nothing and with a swallow said quietly "congratulations on your debate skills Miss Brooke." Anne said to her with a worried look from Owen.
"Congratulations?" She questioned "We lost."
"You didn't make it easy to win." Anne blushed a pink colour in response.
"A worthy winner." The girl with Katherine said. "I must know Anne, do you actually believe the argument you gave?" she asked.
"I do believe that sometimes liberal for one is not for another, I do believe that God knows the intentions of our heart."
"So you believe in God?" the girl asked.
"I believe..." she said with a sigh and a thoughtful look on her face "In something greater." she said with a shrug. "And anyway imagine if we went through this life believing there's a God and then there was nothing after death as people claimed, we'd never know would we, it wouldn't matter, what would matter is that we lived in the dictates of what we believed to be right, but what about if we went through life not believing and then die and realise, actually there is, and all the evidences for a belief was right in front of our faces but we were just too proud to admit there might be a greater power then us and then... there he is." she said dreamily.
"The burqa is just another sign of oppression!" Katherine argued still worked up.
"The burqa is an outward expression of an inward covenant." Anne said calmly.
"Oh please!" Katherine said "Its oppressive!" she argued. "You call yourself a feminist but defend a women to be a prisoner behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity."
"To us it is!" Anne exclaimed. "To her its her freedom, her ability to show her God that he comes first, its her right."
"And what about national security?" Katherine stated.
"It should be respectfully asked to be removed stating its for security, even if in a spot check. If the women is not comfortable with showing her face to a man then she should be asked to remove it for a female officer in a side room if needs be, once identified they should be allowed to wear it again, but as far as I know no women has performed an act of terrorism wearing a burqa."
"But it has been used by a man to do so." Katherine pointed out
"Then perhaps we should ban if from being worn incorrectly then. Afterall it wasn't a women doing it, it was men dressed as a women," and with a smile to Owen trying to defuse the situation Anne said "Lord knows what their God will think of cross dressing!"
"There's no way of telling that day to day!" Katherine jumped back on the debate."
Anne looked to her confused as she stormed off, the girl with her apologising to Anne before going after Katherine.
"Ignore her." Owen whispered to her. "She's taking a debate personally." He said quietly.
"She takes all that I do personally." Anne muttered dramatically, before Owen nudged her with a grin on his face which made Anne chuckle.
"Oh Owen!" she exclaimed with a laughed "I'm being serious she doesn't like me."
"Envy is not her colour." Owen replied. "You know she's jealous of your accomplishments, you're young, you're published, you're in a stable and strong relationship with a man who, might I add is a gentlemen and rather good looking."
Anne smiled and nudged him back "You're not too bad yourself." She told him.
"But I'm not your type." He said.
Anne shrugged "I don't really have a type, I have a Gilbert." She said with a grin. "But why is she not jealous of you, you're published."
"Because I'm not her competition." He said frankly "Its sexist in a way but I am a man of her age, and she could probably justify that men have advantage in life so that's why I'm published." He told her "So, you're younger, you're well liked, you're published." He said with a shrug.
"That's ridiculous," Anne tutted "she should read some of the trash I did back in high school for our literature club, they were woefully underdeveloped and over romanticized."
Owen laughed, "I think I might like to read some." He admitted.
Anne looked at him and rolled her eyes "I think pigs will fly first."
"You like having people around don't you?" Cornelia asked Anne.
Anne had invited over her university friends, Cornelia, Captain Jim on Cornelia's recommendation and Leslie, it was a Saturday night before Halloween, Anne and Gilbert were sitting with Captain Jim listening to his stories, of which she was enjoying immensely.
Anne looked up surprised when Leslie walked in. She jumped up to greet her with a smile "Leslie." She smiled in greeting, "you came!"
"Sorry I'm late." She said quietly its just I was busy settling Richard in for the night." She told Anne.
"No that's okay." Anne said to her.
"I didn't know it was a costume party." She said looking around.
"Its not necessary." Anne confirmed with a quick look around "though its arguably a popular theme." She confirmed. "We have punch," she told Leslie pointing over to the bowl.
"I like..." Leslie started before she stopped herself. "Um, well your costume." She said.
"We're Bonnie and Clyde." Anne said with a smile "You know I longed to have blonde hair, all my life, now I have this wig on, it doesn't feel like me." She said with a grin. "So you know about Bonnie and Clyde?" Anne asked.
"I, I liked history at school, they were the biggest embezzlement,couple, arguably in history." She said.
"Doesn't Gilbert look handsome in his braces?" Anne said with a smile. "Though I prefer her hair natural, he doesn't look like Gilbert without his curls."
"Anne," she heard one of her classmates call for her.
"Enjoy." Anne said to Leslie as she left her.
Leslie moved tentively over to the punch bowl and got herself a drink. She was so busy concentrating on looking inconspicuous she failed to see the man approach her from behind.
"Hello again." He said to her.
She turned and suddenly was eye to eye with a very handsome dark greyed eyed man she had met less then a month ago, she was shocked a little to see him there though it would make sense, he had obviously made friends with Anne, there was no reason why he wouldn't be there.
"Did we get as far as that last time?" she said her lips upturning in victory.
He broke into a perfect smile and a chuckle escaped his mouth "No," he confirmed "no I don't even think we got as far as real formalities."
"Yes," she said trying to push him away mentally from her "I believe you got as far as the 'Mrs' and lost interest."
"Now, that's a little unfair!" he proclaimed "I was just surprised is all." He told her. "I wouldn't expect someone so young to be married."
"Well," she tried again pushing him away mentally "young and foolish were two words to describe me growing up, I'd hope that was warning enough for you." She said glancing at Anne and Gilbert "did they tell you?" she asked.
"Yes." He confirmed. "I'm sorry for..." he started.
"Do not pity me!" she demanded.
"Its not pity its empathy." He said to her firmly but not unkindly. She chuckled in an ironic manner but he continued "Look you may be a Mrs, but I don't believe it prevents us from becoming friends." He told her.
"It would if you met my husband." She huffed.
"Then I shall be extra careful not to." He told her. "So lets start with names shall we?" he asked her "I go by Owen. Owen Ford." He told her his hand going out in front of him to shake her hand, if she chose to take it.
She looked at him her face torn between bemusement, fascination and discouragement. It took her a few seconds before she said softly "Leslie." She told him taking his hand and shaking it.
"There you see." He said with a grin to her "Friends."
"Is that how it feels to have one?" she asked quietly but not entirely sarcastically.
"You know Gilbert and Anne have a wonderful view from their balcony, there's very little lighting this far up, so you can see the stars." He informed her. "Would you like to see them?" he asked her.
"You can't woo me Mr Ford." She told him.
"I'm not trying to, just , I think it would be nicer out there and be able to talk to each other then in here where we can't really get to know each other properly." He told her. He smiled then said "well tell you what, to prove it, I'm going to go out there, on my own and watch the world go by, I will do this regardless of if you join me or not, if you chose to, I'll enjoy the company." He told her.
She smiled surprised at his behaviour as he started to walk away she said to him "You know this is very different to your muteness on our last encounter." She told him.
He turned, still walking backwards and said "well I'd hate to be accused of not growing."
It was half an hour later when Anne looked out the window to see Owen and Leslie on the balcony, she looked on worried for a few seconds before she heard Gilbert behind her "I think Owen has a crush." He admitted.
Anne sighed reaching for his hand placing it around his waist "for what it's worth I don't think he would act on those feeling as long as she remained married."
Gilbert sighed heavily "I hope not for both their sakes." They hugged for a moment or two before he asked "I don't see that girl here, you know the one I met the first day, dark hair, slim...?"
"Katherine," Anne reminded him. "She doesn't like me."
Gilbert looked to her perplexed reflecting "doesn't like you?"
"Sometimes I wonder if moving to Kingsport again was such a good idea." She told him quietly. "I seem to have found more people to hate me rather then like me."
Gilbert chuckled and looked at her for a moment. "You found two people who don't love you Anne, what about all your friends you have here, Phil and Jo, Josie..."
"Oh its a fine state when Josie is counted as a friend..." Anne muttered, though Gilbert pretended to ignore the comment continued
"Cornelia, Captain Jim, Owen..." he paused for a moment and added quietly "...me."
Anne signed and turned in his arms looking with flirting eyes towards him "And believe me if it was only the last one, it would be well worth the move." She said with a smile.
His grin increased as she had flirted he looked into her eyes and whispered "Oh yeah?" he asked.
She giggled returning the gesture looking into his eyes "Yeah." She agreed. "And I know what you're thinking." She said to him practically, she looked puzzled for a moment she quickly finished the thought "I can't have everyone like me."
He grinned with a nod "Well its true." He said.
"Does anyone not like you?" she asked him.
Gilbert stood a little straighter then with a cheeky look on his face said "Course not, they all love me." He told her with a chuckle along with hers. "But then I am the exception which proves the rule."
"Umm," Anne said her lips pressing "you're something alright."
He chuckled and kissed into her hair for a moment before he looked around them, "I think you have far more people who like you Anne, and as Leslie is warming to you its not so bad."
Anne sighed "I think I make headway with her only for her to return to icy with me if she sees me happy." She sighed "I understand why." She added sadly.
"She doesn't hate you." Gilbert said to her softly hugging her in.
"I wish she could be happy." Anne added, at this Gilbert squeezed her more.
"One of the many things I love you for." He said to her with a smile.
She chuckled and looking into his eyes asked "Yeah?"
"Yeah." He said nodding, "and another..." he whispered pulling her back and looking her up and down his eyes momentarily gazing into her décolletage which her top showed off amply. "Wow!" he said his eyes finally meeting back with hers she giggled at his actions.
"Is that lust Mr Blythe?" she asked him.
"You better believe it!" he exclaimed with a smile he took her hand and kissed the back of it "I do believe however when everyone goes home..." He said pulling her back to him and with a wink of confidence he whispered "...you stay." He said with a grin "and you take off that wig." He said with a confused look.
"and you your curls." Anne's smile widened to a real smile "Because you are my home." She reiterated.
Leslie looked at her watch suddenly realising they had been out on the balcony alone for an hour. She stood up shocked and said "I must go, I didn't intend on staying so long!" she exclaimed to which Owen also stood.
"H-have I offended you?" he asked her concerned.
"N-no," she said confused "no, of course not, its been lovely, but I- I mustn't stay any longer, Richard will be furious!" she said a shake in her voice.
"Please..." Owen started clearly conflicted, he looked to her with wide eyes hers staring back at him for a few seconds.
"Please, you must let me go." She whispered, to which he looked at her anxious about her state, he wasn't holding her there, she could leave.
"Of course there's no question of it." He told her. "I was only going to ask if we could meet again, maybe here at Anne's place, just, the next time we meet, for us to be friends again." He asked her, his heart pounding in his ears.
Leslie nodded before she said "I like you very much Owen, but I have to go." She said turning and going back through the doors into the apartment, there she found her host not far from the doors along with her friend Cornelia , Anne smiled as Leslie approached "I'm sorry I couldn't stay too long," Leslie said hurriedly to Anne.
"No its okay." Anne said to her with a smile of concern "as long as you enjoyed yourself while you were here." She said to Leslie.
"I-I.." she faulted for a moment and looked sadly back at Owen who looked perplexed from the balcony. "I did, its just..." she said still hurriedly. "I have to go, t-thank you Anne." She said before she turned on her heel and left.
Anne sighed, then looked towards Cornelia who sighed and shrugged sadly "I better go and see if Owen is alright." Anne said softly. She picked up a shawl Mrs Lynde had crocheted her for the "Cold winter" wrapped it round her shoulders and went out to the balcony.
Owen was still standing perplexed but looked to Anne when she approached "D-Did she say anything?" he asked her.
"Only that she had a lovely time." Anne said to him. "So, she enjoyed your company at least." Anne said to him.
Owen sighed sitting down, Anne sat in the seat Leslie had just occupied "She's the most lovely creature I've ever met." He said quietly.
Anne sighed and looked to him sadly.
"I know she's married, but there's something more to her, is there not Anne, you'll tell me won't you? I'm not imaging it?" he questioned.
"There is something kindred about her, but I'm afraid as long as she keeps us at arms distance we can't help her as we should."
He sighed heavily and looked down at his shoes. He stayed there for a few minutes with Anne, just in a silence which was filled with unanswered questions and emotions.
Anne then looked back into the party and Captain Jim caught her eye, she then looked back to Owen and said "Owen, you write non fiction right?"
It was a few days later when Owen accidently ran into Leslie at the market.
"Owen!" she exclaimed surprised.
"Leslie." He replied with a smile on his face "what a surprise to meet you here."
"The weekly shop." She said carefully.
He smiled "the market closest to my student halls is closed for refurbishment." He said to her "coming here was the next closest."
Leslie nodded sadly.
"I'm glad." Owen said with a smile "I might just come here more often." He said, to which she blushed shyly and started to walk away "No Leslie please..." he started but noticed the grimace on her face as he had grabbed her by the arm he looked confused at the action then looked down at the arm, his hold had exposed just above her wrist he could see the beginnings of a bruise, to which he took her arm and with a small protest from Leslie he swept up the sleeve revealing a bruise which dominated her forearm. He looked at it shocked then to her who pulled her arm away blushing more, covering back up. "Leslie..." he whispered.
"I-It's nothing Mr Ford." She stuttered not giving eye contact, "I-um, I fell down the st-" she started.
"Please, don't lie." He said quietly. "There's only one thing which leave a bruise like that." He said to her quietly. "Leslie..." he trailed.
"Please!" she begged him "Please don't Owen." She whispered looking at him.
Owen was conflicted, he pained for her, he hadn't even met the fellow and he hated her husband, but she was intent on staying. He swallowed closing his eyes for a moment he whispered to her "There's a coffee shop, just over the road," Owen said to her "Do you have time for a coffee?" he asked her.
She looked at him for a second not sure to trust him or not before she quietly said "I go to that coffee shop after I do the shopping, and I couldn't stop, neither would I ignore anyone I knew from entering said establishment, and if I did know them, I might just would maybe if I was already sitting allow them to sit with me."
The side of his lips upturned in both appreciation for her predicament and the way she was able to think on her feet for a way to work things to her advantage. "I should finish my shopping then." He said with a smile. "I'll um, see you around." He said with a glance to her.
It was twenty minutes later when he saw her, sitting on her own in the coffee shop, he walked over and said to her "Leslie, what a surprise to bump into you twice in one day."
Leslie smiled before she answered "Good afternoon Mr Ford." She said to him. "I trust your studies are going well?" she asked him.
"They are indeed!" he exclaimed.
"You know Anne gave me your book to read, she seemed quite pleased with it," Leslie said as Owen pointed towards the empty chair opposite her which she nodded in return he sat down asking her
"Do you agree with Anne's assessment?" Owen asked her.
"Anne is an eternal romantic, only ever seeing the romance around her, she's never seen the dark side of the world, her opinion is somewhat rose tinted."
Owen looked up a little surprised my Leslie's opinion, "Well, I can't say I know Anne's history very well," Owen admitted, "but have you read her book?" he asked.
"Anne has a book?" Leslie asked surprised.
Owen smiled before he said "she does, she and I are the two published authors on our course," he reflected "and as I said I don't know Anne's history very well, but her writing certainly reflects more then a rose tinted view of the world. Her book you know is a series of short stories and where some are romantic, some are not, some are very raw and sad in places and its my experience in order to write like that, you must experience something like it, something as broken as hurt as unromantic."
Leslie looked at him shocked "But, she's girlfriend to her high school sweetheart..." she said confused.
"No, They only got together after the end of college, Gilbert told me that." Owen corrected.
"But the pictures in their apartment, they looked so happy!" Leslie said confused.
"Yes when they were together. They were friends, you seem I think for a long time, but not loved for a while."
Leslie shook her head then said "but she has a home to go to, family..."
Again Owen shook his head "Forgive me Leslie but Anne was adopted at age sixteen, she was in and out of care homes or foster homes up until then. She had no home for a long time, her parents died when she was only three."
Leslie swallowed for a moment knowing she had prejudged a little. "But still, she is in a good relationship all is well that ends well." She muttered.
"Well yes, they are together now, but maybe todays lesson is that we don't know everything." He said his grey eyes far off in thought. "Like we don't know everything about you." He said to her looking up and interested.
"Oh, well there's really not much to tell." She muttered.
"Oh I doubt that." Owen said with a smile. "Let's start at the beginning."
Leslie arrived back in the apartment and took a deep breath waiting for him to bark.
"Leslie!" he shouted, "Is that you?"
"Yes." She answered timidly.
"Where have you been?" he barked appearing at the door into the living room. "Not with that Anne again were you?" still asked despite the fact he could see she was going in and out the door bringing the food in.
"No," she said quiet still "I wasn't with Anne, or Cornelia, I went to the shops to get food."
He finally came over only to grab her by the neck bringing her eyes to his. She looked at him, despite not wanting to, but tried her best not to flinch, not to let him catch her in the lie, no she wasn't with Anne, she wasn't with Cornelia, she wasn't lying. He set her down loosing his grip on her then asked her "Did you go to the doctors? Get my prescription?" he asked her. She nodded bringing it out of the bag handing it to him "You know one day you'll come home and I'll overdose on this." He said in a threatening voice "then you'll be sorry."
She swallowed watching him go back into the living room, she dared not voice what she was thinking.
"Did she say the bruises were from Richard?" Gilbert asked Owen the next day when he had came up to the apartment to go over some study notes with Anne.
"Well, no she didn't actually say that." Owen admitted.
"Then its a suspicion, not a fact." Gilbert said practically.
"Oh but Gilbert don't be so heartless!" Anne exclaimed sadly.
"I'm not." He tried. "we need to be careful how we tread in this Anne."
"What if it were me? Gil Blythe you'd be the first person jumping to my defence."
"Always, he said without malice "But I'm not the boy who gave Roy a black eye anymore Anne, and I am defending Leslie!" Gilbert defended
Anne opened her mouth to object but Owen interrupted "I'm afraid he's right, we need to be there for her Anne, we need to protect her as much as we are able to, I did give her the number for the national domestic helpline, I told her she could confine in us, in all of us. But she denied it, she denied it all."
"We can make our home a safe haven for her, we can talk to her, we can love her, show her we care and be there for her when she needs us." Gilbert said popping his arm around Anne reassuringly. "We need to look for signs too, if it was that she fell down the stairs this time, its a possibility, but we all need to be on the lookout, and keep her safe."
"You really would keep her safe Gilbert?" Anne asked him.
Gilbert looked into her eyes and said quietly "With my life." To which Anne smiled and hugged into him.
The three friends were silent for a moment before Anne said quietly "its so sad."
Gilbert held her closer as the two of them looked to Owen who nodded his head "I know Anne, I know." He looked up to Owen and said "tell her she can come here, she can stay here whenever she needs to, we will protect her."
"I will." Owen said to her "and try to convince her that if it is abuse, to get out!"
"Leslie!" Anne exclaimed happily opening the door. "How are you?" she asked her trying to sound as though she wasn't preying.
"I'm... I'm good." She said quietly. "Owen said, that you have a book." She said handing back the book which she borrowed from Anne.
"I do." Anne admitted with a smile.
"I would, I think I would like to read it?" she asked Anne.
Anne smiled and nodded "if you would like, though don't get your hopes up." Anne told her. "But I will get it for you."
"D-did, Owen tell you about the other day?" she asked as they walked over to the bookshelf.
"He did." Anne said quietly.
Leslie took a deep sigh. "He overreacted, its sweet but I really did just fall." She said her hand sweeping her hair off her face nervously. "You believe me don't you?" she asked Anne.
"Honestly?" Anne asked her without waiting for an answer "No, I don't believe it, I think your husband is abusive, I don't know if its physical, maybe this is a first, maybe it was just a fall, I don't believe either. I think that the physical abuse you feel you can handle," Anne told her "but I think its not just physical." She said honestly.
"Anne... please don't say anything to anyone? I don't mind you knowing, but please..."
"You want me to protect an abuser?" she asked.
"I want you to protect me!" Leslie exclaimed.
Anne let out a puff of air before she wiped down her face "I won't protect an abuser, don't ask that of me Leslie." They stood silent for a moment before Anne said quietly "Come here." Anne said to her. "Come and stay with Gilbert and I, we can protect you."
"Richard will know I'm here." Leslie said shaking her head.
"then go to Owen's!" Anne exclaimed.
"And be accused of adultery!" Leslie exclaimed.
"Better that then endure abuse!" Anne tried.
Leslie sighed and shook her head "Do you have any idea just how complex this all is?" Leslie asked her.
Leslie jumped at the male voice, she hadn't known Gilbert was in the apartment "She has every idea." He said to her.
"Gilbert." Leslie said to her looking at him wide eyed. "I didn't know you were home."
"I was studying in our room." He said to her and added quietly "Leslie, Anne's offer remains open, no matter how complex it is, our door is always open to you." He told her gently.
Leslie swallowed before looking down and nodding. "Thank you, both of you." With Anne's book in hand turned and walked out the room.
Gilbert crossed to the apartment and took Anne in his arms. "I can't, I can't protect an abuser." Anne whispered to Gilbert. "I did it once before to the man abusing me, I won't do it again." She whispered.
He hugged her in close kissing her on top of her hair, his arms around her she was completely enveloped in his stance. "I know Anne." He whispered gently "I know."
Gilbert sighed heavily as he entered the empty apartment. Anne was at a launch tonight he was off late enough that he couldn't make it, turning up late was a big 'no no' at these events so he reached into the freezer to a Mother made ready meal and heated it up in the microwave.
Anne had thrown herself into this new life of theirs, with so much gusto it actually worried him. She was tired of late and was working hard, hard at the publishers, hard at school and this nonsense about Katherine had gone on long enough for his liking.
Had it been him, he would have given up on becoming the girls friend all together, well the same could be said of Leslie, but Leslie he believed reminded Anne of herself, of what she had endured, in a different way yes, but all the same, Anne found something kindred there, Anne liked the unexpected, seemed to want to fix the misfits of society and mother them. He grinned at the thought, and then remembered it was that sort of love which made him fall for her in the first place. If she made her mind up to like someone she was fiercely loyal.
He loved it in her, so he couldn't try and tame it as much as he might like to. And why would he? He had learned long ago that while he never talked of Anne in their two years apart when Anne was asked about Gilbert she would lay on the praise about him. He grinned again removing the food from microwave, he felt so proud to have her in Kingsport with him. He loved having her there with him but, in the two years they had been apart, had she worked this hard? If she had, he was glad he wasn't there to witness it. Though perhaps, he was a little hypocritical in this assessment so he didn't tend to bring it up.
Five hours later Anne slipped off her shoes coming into the living room she found him slumped over his laptop asleep in front of it, she smiled slightly of the irony of his head pressing down on the 'z' key the screen filled with the letter.
Her fingers trailed across his neck butterfly light but it woke him
"Anne-Girl." He whispered hoarsely. "What time is it?"
"One." She said tired. "It was a good launch." She said with a smile.
He wiped one hand on his face. "Good." he said sleepily. "You didn't meet any tall dark handsome strangers to sweep you off your feet did you?" he said looking up at the computer screen and tutting.
Anne chuckled at him "Aplenty." She said with a grin to him "though none could tempt me away from you love." He grinned up at her as she brought her lips to his in a sweet kiss. "We're ready for bed."
"I can't disagree." He said allowing her to help him up from the floor, as soon as he was standing his arm was around her softly.
"That can't have been comfortable?" she questioned.
"I was asleep, I didn't really know." He said his other hand coming behind his neck to rub it.
Anne scoffed before she whispered "I could see to that for you love?" she asked him.
He smiled and in a whisper said "a massage from my girlfriend?" he flirted, "Now there's something every boy should hear." He told her before she giggled lightly. "How was school?" he asked her.
"I have an Adaptions piece due in next week, its a direct comparison between Shakespeare's Taming of the Screw, Text, Play and modern film." She sighed heavily. "with the theme's of course, feminism, power, sex, control..." she said her dress being shrugged onto the bedroom floor her nightie being flung on as she spoke.
"Which of course the play would be the thing!" Gilbert said with a smile.
"Naturally!" Anne exclaimed, "but the closest thing we have is a recording of the play." She told him "but there's something magical about the theatre..." she said dreamily "it's like you're meant to be experiencing it with them, you have the other members of the audiences reactions, now two performances are exactly alike!" she told him climbing into bed with a yawn.
"But right now you need to sleep!" he told her softly.
"I know I know." She said with a little cough to her chest. He looked at her concerned for a moment before she tried to reassure him she was indeed fine. She sleepily rubbed his neck as he nuzzled down into her breasts. She didn't know he stayed awake listening to her breathing just to be sure.
A week later Gilbert came in the apartment and was surprised to find Anne sitting crossed legged on the floor with Katherine sitting opposite her on the other side of the coffee table. "Hello." Gilbert said with a smile to Katherine. "Anne, honey." He said with a quizzical look on his face.
"Katherine and I got matched on our end of term assignment." Anne answered him throatily.
Gilbert looked at her with furrowed brow "Sweetheart?" he asked concerned "Is your throat okay?"
"I've been telling her to take something for it." Katherine accused her.
"It's just scratchy." Anne told him.
Gilbert took off his coat and bag putting them on the sofa he leaned over her concerned "You're face is a little flushed, and love you look pale." He said concerned.
"I always look pale." She muttered.
"Not this kind, don't play the fool." He told her practically. His hand went to her forehead for a moment "Anne, you're burning up." He told her, "You need to listen to Katherine and take something."
"See." Katherine said drolly. "Is it contagious?" she asked suddenly concerned.
Gilbert inspected his girlfriend going through a check up and looked to her concerned "Well, you need not concern yourself Katherine this is bacterial not a virus." He told her.
"What do I need?" Anne asked him.
"Most bacterial infections do clear up on their own within a few days, medical recommendations are to only take Tylenol if you're in pain." He said going into the kitchen and into the draw he walked back with the Tylenol in his hand he put the packet in front of her.
"Its not hurting me." She croaked to which he looked at her unimpressed by her attempt she picked up the tablets and took two.
"We'll keep an eye on it, if it hasn't cleared up in a few days you'll need to go down to the walk in clinic and get some antibiotics." He told her doctor like.
Anne smiled looking up at him "you're a good doctor already." She smiled at him.
"Don't flatter me to try and distract me," Gilbert said with a smile to her.
"This is sickening." Katherine said looking at the pair.
Anne looked to her in shock "don't you believe in love Katherine?"
"Love is just a word used to described a biochemical reaction." She said her nose upturning.
"Have you never been in love?" Anne asked her.
"Please, don't be ridiculous." She said flatly looking down at her work.
Gilbert and Anne gave each other a bemused look.