Timeline - Anne of Windy Poplars, The Second Year. This chapter contours chapters 5 & 6.

Chapter 17: I Trust You

The world slowly dissolved before Gilbert's eyes like watercolors dripping down some unseen canvas. Everything was losing shape; although, Anne's shocked expression held out a bit longer. Between the two of them; on the hard, snowy earth; laid a scared Katherine Brooke. She would have bled to death from the bullet if not for Gilbert's supernatural intervention. And unlike the evaporating background, her image remained steady, visually confirming to Gilbert that she was experiencing this oddity too.

Gilbert was also quite aware that Fred was witnessing this unfortunate, magical moment. To Fred and Anne, Gilbert and Katherine must have been as disappearing mist. Gilbert observed Fred's amazement as Fred unsuccessfully attempted to blink away his dismay. The reverent gasp from Fred's deep voice was the last thing Gilbert heard as the background vanished completely.

He and Katherine were frozen in place as new scenery started to build from the ground up in a palette of incoherent hues.

What was happening?

Gilbert was sure that it was his powers causing the changes he saw, but he was also sure it wasn't his doing. It was Katherine's. It was her influence. Gilbert shifted his gaze down to her white face. He accused her with his glare. Katherine's amber eyes yielded an admission which splashed him with anger.

What a mess!

He was also mad at himself for indulging his curiosity. She had seduced him with thoughts of magical travel. This new power was so alluring his capitulation to temptation felt carnal. Together they cast this weird spell. Going they were no matter Gilbert's regret. He didn't want to leave Anne to sort out Fred.

Fred was already struggling to maintain the pretense of ignorance that allowed their friendship to remain intact. For almost a year, ever since they argued about Helen's witchcraft, Gilbert assumed that deep, deep, down, Fred did know that Gilbert was a witch too. He had all the same clues everyone else did. Now the test was at hand. Would their friendship survive? Or would their interactions continued to be stiff and false; and be only a shadow of its former glory? Gilbert didn't want to give up on Fred. Even if Fred couldn't give his authentic friendship anymore, Gilbert wished him to know how much he valued it.

Instead, he had been stolen away by this unknown creature, Katherine Brooke.

"Oh my God," Fred blurted out as he reached forward, waving his gloved hand into the space where Gilbert had been. The vacancy was real. Fred turned around in a circle scanning the dark to see if they had merely been snatched away into its depths.

"Where'd they go, Anne?"

Anne was sitting on her bum with her legs stretched forward. She braced herself with her arms and tried to push up, but was unable to pull her legs underneath her hips. She fell on her side with a grunt. Fred watched her again try to stand before he realized he should be helping her. The shock of watching Gilbert and Miss Brooke disappear had circumvented his ability to perform basic courtesies.

"Here Anne!" Fred finally leaned forward and held out his hand. Anne took it and hoisted herself up, glad to be steady on her feet. She brushed snow from her dark coat. Fred waited patiently for Anne to reply to his question that hung over them like their own personal rain cloud.

At long last, she told Fred, "I think they went to Green Gables. I'm not sure that was Gilbert's plan though."

Confirmation struck as lightning so that Fred provided the thundering shudder. Fred's nostrils flared and his respiration smoked ice white. Emboldened by necessity, Fred's line of questioning remained direct. Normally, he was more of the type to hem and haw when addressing a lady with a question she may not want to answer.

"Gilbert is a witch, isn't he?"

Anne shuffled and thought about her answer. Fred wasn't asking her to break a confidence, he was asking her if he could believe what he saw. Gilbert would want her to minimize the damage and lying outright would only widen the potential rift between the two infamous friends.

"Even Doubting Thomas believed his own eyes, surely Fred, you can trust your own."

Fred looked away from Anne at that point, embarrassed that he put her on the spot. Gilbert was to be her spouse after all. He wouldn't want Diana to make confessions about him.

Anne took pity on his glum expression, "But you should talk with Gilbert. Put your hand in his side if you need to. He's still your friend, Fred."

Fred rubbed his face and sighed, "I haven't been much of a friend lately, not since we disagreed about Helen."

"Oh, you boys drive me nuts! I know men don't admit such things, but, he loves you, Fred. You're his best friend. You two have known each other since primary school. Don't detach yourself from him, at least, not over this."

Fred nodded his agreement. He could remember their first meeting. They ended up sitting next to each other in the clean grass as Gilbert's grandmother, Elizabeth, read about Saul encountering the Lord on the way to Damascus. The confrontation had turned Saul, an enemy, into St. Paul, the writer of so many epistles.

"I've known Gilbert since I was four," Fred casually remarked. "We met at Sunday School, over twenty years ago."

"He's still that same boy you met back then, only, a few decades older. Don't throw it away, Fred." Anne pleaded as she wrapped her arms around herself to warm up.

"I don't plan to."

Anne then grabbed his coat's sleeve. "Would you please show me inside? I need to calm down a bit."

"I understand," Fred's heartbeat hadn't slowed down either. They continued down the path to where Gilbert had abandoned Fred's rifle. Fred picked it up and unloaded its led. In consternation, he softly said, "I shot Miss Brooke, didn't I? I was trying to kill a rabid 'coon. I didn't mean to." Fred's voice halted abruptly, unable to even utter what had happened.

"Fred, it was an accident," Anne assured. The very idea that Fred deliberately aimed at them was laughable.

"Please tell me she'll be alright," he muttered. His worry was more audible. "Please, Anne! Tell me what I need to know."

Anne let her hand fall into Fred's for a moment and she squeezed it. "Katherine is fine now, Fred. She's fine."

The dark gave the two of them new freedom. No one could see them or observe how they were together on the dance floor. They were closeted away among the coats and hats of Abner Sloane's late wife. It was quite a forgotten place in a house with so many rooms.

He had spent half-an-hour seeking the secluded spot. She had spent the entire night finding a way to slip her escort. Minnie May helped. Opportunities were not lost as the young man showed her a portal to privacy. The trouble they would get into if they were caught was half the fun.

He found his hand sliding gently along the curve of her side, resting easily on her hip as he delivered sloppy yet eager kisses. She was nervous, not scared. Never scared of him. She was only afraid of the creature he coaxed out of her. She clasped her hands together behind his neck after he delivered her a swooning kiss that made her legs weak.

"I love you, Dora. Come with us to Montréal next winter, please?"

"I'm working on it," Dora finally replied. "I need time."

"The age of consent is fourteen there," Ralph reminded her as he gently rubbed her arm. "You won't need Marilla's permission. We can marry. Mother will tell Jane what to do."

"Ralph—I can't do that. I can't go behind Marilla's back. Or Davy's. It's not that easy."

"It is that easy, if you follow your heart," Dora felt his arms swoop down and lift her up which also caused some coats to escape their hangers.

"I'm sorry, Ralph," Her lips met his again in apology. "You can always talk to her for me. See how easy you find it."

"I just might have to do that," Ralph answered as he nuzzled a kiss into her jawline. The sensation of his mouth under her ear made her heart skip. Her excited laugh revealed their location. Youthful inexperience.

Dora shut her eyes as the light poured into their enclosure. Mrs. Barry groaned as she pulled Dora out and away from her betrothed.

Marilla reclined in her easy chair. Being alone at Green Gables was a rare treat and she intended to enjoy the few hours of quiet as they were so fleeting. Mrs. Lynde would be away until tomorrow afternoon. She was watching her grandchildren as her daughter and son-in-law visited old friends. Rachel rather enjoyed being Grandma! Marilla chuckled to herself, thinking that maybe she might experience that joy herself someday. It was an outcome Marilla would never have supposed possible, but who was she to challenge Providence? She was starting to savor the idea.

Grandchildren.

Truthfully, Marilla's musings were premature and she would never admit to having them, but in the privacy of her own mind, she could already see a lad with bright red hair that adored her. She knew in her heart of hearts that she was going to love all of Anne and Gilbert's babies like they were her own, magic or no magic. She didn't care.

She just hoped her eyesight would hold out until that day. That was more than two years away, at least, assuming Anne and Gilbert were able to behave themselves.

Marilla wondered again about her refusing Gilbert's offer to have her vision restored. Perhaps she should have said 'yes'. If it were Matthew, she wouldn't care what the neighbors thought, so why was she being so hard on herself?

The quilt slipped off as she dozed.

Could she hold any child of Anne's (or Dora's or Davy's) and not want to see its precious face? No, probably not. She must accept Gilbert's offer.

Marilla lifted her head drowsily to see the forms of Gilbert Blythe and Katherine Brooke seep into the parlor before the hearth. At first, she thought that the apparition was part of her daydream. And then saw blood sloshing out of Katherine's right boot and on to her new braided rug. There was little chance that detail would be part of her dear reverie.

"What on earth?" Marilla snapped to attention. She was quick to sop up the blood with her apron and she witnessed Katherine push her bloody skirt down as Gilbert removed his hands from her naked thigh.

Marilla stared at John's boy. His face was pink, hoping Marilla wasn't thinking extremes.

"Katherine was shot," Gilbert explained, "And I was healing her when the scenery changed. The next thing I know, we're here."

Horrified- "Katherine, you were shot! Well, that explains all this blood."

Katherine didn't say anything. She crawled away on her hands and knees to be closer to the fire, leaving a slight trail of blood behind her. She was shaking with chill.

Gilbert stared at her crumpled figure with Marilla. He hadn't noticed how badly Katherine looked until then, she was obviously suffering from exposure brought on by extreme blood loss. He put away his anger and approached the raggedy woman. He touched her icy hands and attempted to use his powers to heal her from the symptoms of frostbite.

Nothing!

Frustration built but it would have to wait. The first priority was getting Katherine warm.

Once inside the Wright homestead, Anne found herself sitting in the nursery keeping her 'nephew' Freddie employed in some amusement as Diana lifted Anne Cordelia from her crib to nurse her. Freddie was starting to speak words and Anne had some hesitancy in confiding what had happened along the path to Abner Sloane's with the curious tyke present. What if he ran around saying "witch" even if he didn't understand the word? Still, Diana was asking and Fred had holed himself away in his study with his Bible and pen.

"So, Fred knows?" Diana concluded.

"Of course he does," Anne answered as she bit down on a nail. Freddie squirmed in Anne's lap, ready to be let down. "Gilbert and Katherine just disappeared right in front of us. I'm an imaginative person, but even I couldn't deflect that one."

Diana touched the side of Anne Cordelia's soft cheek as her daughter suckled at her breast. "Fred's been distracted lately, he's been reading that Bible of his every spare minute he has. When I ask he doesn't say much, but I snooped one night and he had written out a list of verses, all referencing witchcraft."

"Really? That sounds rather ominous."

Diana agreed, "Yet, for the life of me I don't think this is the end of their friendship. It's just a giant bump. I know Fred doesn't want to admit to Gilbert's healing powers. From what you've told me, he'll have to now. . . Miss Brooke will be alright?"

"Yes, I'm sure she's fine. I could feel how Gil's powers were working when my hands covered his." Anne stared at her own hands in wonder. "He says I help him. I haven't figured out how. He often insists I be near him when he feels weak."

"I think it's strange you didn't disappear with them," Diana voiced as she burped the baby. "It's even stranger Gilbert's not back to get you."

"I don't think he can," Anne suggested; believing correctly that Katherine had drained all his powers. Leech indeed. "Perhaps I should hitch up Rival myself and drive home."

"Oh, no!" Diana vehemently disagreed. "It's dark and you should be escorted. Mother promised to call on the way home from the party. I'm sure father will drop you off at Green Gables, and Fred will take care of Gilbert's horse. This is all quite manageable."

"Maybe I should stay overnight instead. I know Gilbert will come for me as soon as he can, and he should talk with Fred. They must."

"All the more reason for you to leave with Mother," Diana retorted as she cradled small Anne Cordelia. "I don't want Fred to believe the only reason why Gilbert might call is to fetch you. He internalizes little things, makes conclusions, often bad ones, to avoid confrontation. I just don't want Fred jumping to the wrong end of things."

"Oh, Diana!" Anne shook her head to the possibility that Fred didn't see how much their friendship meant to Gilbert even though she tried to tell him. "Gilbert misses Fred. He wants to share all this with him, he does, but he's frightened to. Fred's opinion matters like no one else's. In some ways, Fred should be flattered he's the last to know."

"Maybe," Diana said as she steered Anne and Freddie out of the nursery. "Let's go downstairs to the parlor and take bets on who will be first to arrive, Mother, in need to see her grandchildren, or Gilbert, knowing you're left here with us."

"I think doting Grandmother," Anne smiled, as she led Freddie by the hand.

"You really should have told me," Gilbert said as he attempted to warm Katherine's hands with his body heat. Her hands were pretty small compared to his and she trembled uncomfortably as he brought her palms up and into his armpit. He couldn't rub her hands with too much pressure, her skin was fragile.

She stared at his shirt buttons. "Oh, I'm sure that would have gone over well," Katherine uttered through clenched teeth. She kept her jaw locked to prevent herself from chattering too hard, lest she bite her own tongue. "Gilbert, a conversation about magic was not going to happen in introductions. I figured I had plenty of time for that particular discussion, should it ever be necessary."

"Guess what, it's necessary," Gilbert reported, "With your powers, you should have declared yourself when you realized what I was." He attempted to straighten her bent-with-cold fingers. "Does that hurt?"

Katherine winced. "A little."

Gilbert straightened them more.

"Fine, a lot!" Katherine wheezed.

"Good," Gilbert dropped her hands and helped her re-adjust the quilt draped over her frame. It was a heavy cover, giving her warmth and modesty now that she had been separated from her blood-soaked dress and underskirts.

Gilbert moved the footstool closer to the hearth and guided Katherine to sit.

"Let's look at those toes now," He squatted down over his heels to examine her feet, but briefly looked up as the parlor door opened. Marilla timed her return perfectly and placed a basin of warm water down next to them.

"Katherine, your clothes! That skirt!" Marilla shook her head, "I'm making a valiant effort here, but your dress is probably only good for rags. I've never seen so much blood."

Katherine gave a small chuckle which caused a crease between Marilla's eyes. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Katherine said. Her laugh was more about breaking up her nervous state. Then she explained the irony. "Anne told me I needed a red dress."

"Oh goodness!" Marilla disapproved of such humor. "That's a rather drastic way to go about it. Red dress indeed..." Marilla huffed herself out of the room.

Gilbert released his smile at that point.

"You think it's funny?" Katherine arched. "I didn't know you had such dryness in you."

"Let's not talk about what might be inside me right now," Gilbert warned. His outrage refreshed, but later to Anne, he admitted the remark was funny, if not in poor taste.

He picked up the basin and placed it in her lap. Gently, he took her hands and showed her what to do. "The water shouldn't burn you, it's not hot enough, but you don't want to stress your skin either. Dunk your hands in and out of the water a few times and see if you notice any additional discomfort. If you can tolerate it, soak your hands."

"How are my feet, Doctor?"

"They're in better shape than your hands. Your wool stockings helped," He paused a moment, trying control his tone. "You'll come out fine, but, I'm not sure about myself. You stole my powers."

"Yes, I suppose we should talk about that," Katherine dunked her hands and then bravely lifted her face in apology. "I'm so sorry, Gilbert. I'm very sorry I used you like that. Please, forgive me."

It was sincere but Gilbert shook his head, "Why did you?"

Her face shifted into a calm expression. "I know I seem rather bold and unperturbed most the time, but I was simply scared. I thought my life was on the line. When I saw my chance to escape. I took it. That meant using you. I am sorry."

More anger chipped away. She wasn't lying, her body had entered survival mode from the shock. Her judgment would have been clouded.

"But you knew about me, didn't you? And you chose to say nothing!" Gilbert reminded Katherine again.

"Yes, that's true, but I had a good reason. The only other witches I've known were opportunists. I needed to be reassured a bit before I was going to say anything. You don't like being used; neither do I."

"I'm not following you, what do you mean? Aren't you magic too? The way you used my powers is not part of my normal repertoire of tricks." Gilbert never knew his powers could be focused to a tightness allowing him personal travel across distance. It was still an exhilarating discovery.

"I'm not magic!" Katherine announced. "I wouldn't need your powers if I were. I'd have my own. That's why your powers are gone, but they will come back. And you'll be a little stronger, at least for a while. I gave you a new lens to focus them through." She chuckled to his consternation. "Gilbert, I gave you a temporary ability. You'll be able to transport yourself to almost anywhere for a while, once your powers come back. You're welcomed by the way."

"But..but, how?" Gilbert spluttered. "I mean, I can do that now, sort of, I mean. Bi-locate."

"Bi-location is a baby step," Katherine answered as Gilbert paced the room. "You feel that don't you? You know, I can smell how you over-use your powers. It gave me a foothold to latch on to, you left a door open."

"And you drained me as a result."

Katherine shook her head. "It's really not about the draining; it's about the correcting, purifying magic and even restoring abilities. My kind gives your kind a better focus. We're complementary." Katherine exhibited dismay at his confused face, "Gilbert, you're engaged to Anne! How do you not know this?"

"Anne?" Gilbert swallowed, "No, she's not like you. She can't do what you do."

"Well, she's not in the same league as me, I'm pretty exceptional in that regard, but, you do know about Anne. I heard you ask for her help when you were healing me. She's a perfectly lovely little filter. She strengthens and shields you, right?"

Gilbert sat on the sofa unwilling to believe. There was a logic to what she said but. . . No. Anne was not like Katherine.

"Katherine—if Anne does anything to help me with my magic, it's because she loves me. I know that to be the truth. There's no other reason."

Katherine flushed a bit for Gilbert, he was rather naïve. "I'm sure you're right," Katherine responded as she once again pulled her hands out of the warm water. "You've known Anne a lot longer than I have. I am sure that I don't know what I'm talking about at all."

Anne pushed Dora through the front door of Green Gables. The Barry's showed up at the Wright's as expected and promptly agreed to take Anne with them on their way home. In the meantime, Mrs. Barry gave Anne a full report of Dora's nightly adventures with a certain Mr. Ralph Andrews. Anne didn't think such disobedience was possible from Dora. Necking in a closet? Dora didn't fight the charge. She simply informed Anne that she was in love.

"You love him?" Anne hushed, "Dora, you're awfully young to be in love."

"No, I'm not," Dora answered. "I'm not you. My life has no 'bends in the road'. I see my future and it's him. But please, don't tell Marilla. She has all these ideas that I'm going to Queens and college and will eventually be a teacher like you. And you're such a tough act to follow, even if I wanted such things, you have no idea."

It was the most Dora had ever shared with Anne about her interior life. Anne saw Dora's plight. She was out-shined by Davy's personality, and then, Anne was held up to her as a model to emulate. Dora could never be as Anne and Anne could never be as Dora. Anne explained to Dora she certainly was going to tell Marilla. She had to. Marilla would want to know why Dora's invitation to stay overnight with Minnie May Barry was rescinded.

"But I tell you what," Anne vowed. "I will do my best to help Marilla see that you and I are two very different girls, and hopefully, Marilla will understand that her expectations for me, should not be refitted over you. I do think she knows this already, but I'll make sure."

Any plans to talk to Marilla were halted as soon as she got her hat and coat off. Gilbert intercepted Anne in the foyer and lifted her up and into his embrace. That allowed Dora a chance to slip away and to her room. Before she could call Dora back Gilbert had his mouth on Anne's, his lips and chin exerting just enough pressure that Anne parted her lips for a deeper exchange. She felt like a tiny leaf in his manly arms, unable to do anything but participate in his audacious show of affection.

"Gilbert John!"

"Um?" Gilbert dove in for another kiss as Miss Brooke came around the corner. His hand reached down to caress Anne's rear. Gilbert was rewarded with a gasp from Anne. Her eyes were a lively green as he let Anne down. Anne was too stunned to say much, but she was definitely going to have a word with him as soon as she recovered.

"You should have your powers back soon," Katherine reported. She was not going to display shock at Gilbert's manner of affection for Anne. She knew he was doing it for her benefit, trying to prove his point. "Between the two of you, you have my life story. I'll let you talk. I've had an interesting night and I need a good sleep."

"Wait, wait, Katherine!" Anne said as she attempted to stop her, but Gilbert prevented Anne.

"No Anne, wait." Gilbert insisted. "She has a mild case of hypothermia. We talked and she's sorry for taking me away as she did. She is. I can tell she's sincere." Gilbert exhaled slowly and nervously, "Tell me about Fred. He saw us disappear, didn't he? Is he completely upset? Mad? What did you say?"

"No, he's rising to the challenge from what I can tell, but I think you need to talk with him, soon, Gil."

"I'll go now," Gilbert twitched his mustache and raised an eyebrow, "I have a new power, I can travel by magic. I'll go to Fred's and then I'll return Dad's horse and sleigh. I'll be back as soon as I'm done, but we're not bundling. Not anymore. We'll remove the board."

"Gilbert, that's probably not very wise, not after how you just greeted me."

"We'll just have to behave ourselves," Gilbert added, "If I can't, I'll leave, but I can't tolerate that board when I need to hold you, and Anne, I need to hold you tonight. I want to hold you, so let me, please. This new ability is really power-hungry."

"Now is not the right time to be testing Marilla's limits," Anne said, thinking about their example to the twins. "Dora is. . ."

"Later, tonight," Gilbert said as he held his fingers to Anne's lips. He then vanished away.

Gilbert stood just out of Fred's point of view in the corridor. He could see Fred's feet propped up on a footstool before the fire. From what Anne had told Gilbert, Fred wanted this conversation as much as Gilbert did, and yet Gilbert understood that this conversation would set the tone for their friendship the rest of their lives. He wasn't keen on the stakes.

Finally, Gilbert stepped into the entrance and knocked on the door to announce himself.

Fred pivoted his head and looked at his old friend with new, wide eyes. He turned his head back to the fire clearly trying to compose himself. Gilbert took the chair next to Fred and leaned forward with his forearms on his knees.

"Fred. Can we talk, please?"

"Sure, Gil. What do you want to talk about?"

"I thought maybe I could tell you something."

"You can tell me anything, Gil."

"Can I?" Gilbert challenged. "If I tell you something, you're not going to tell me I'm damned to burn in hell, are you?"

Fred picked up his Holy Bible from a small side table and handed it to Gilbert. "Exodus 22:18"

"Fred, I don't need to look it up. I know what it says."

"Do you?" Fred gave a slight nod. "Humor me."

Gilbert flipped through the front of the book and found the chapter. On the page, Gilbert immediately saw the verse, or where the verse should have been. Fred had carefully crossed out, "Thou shall not suffer a witch to live."

Gilbert was puzzled and looked at Fred for an explanation.

"I don't believe you're damned, Gilbert." Fred quietly said, "Or your cousin; or your grandmother; and anyone else in your family blessed to be what you are. The Bible doesn't make sense to me anymore. It hasn't since last summer. I've been trying to fix it."

Gilbert didn't know what to say exactly. "In the Bible, witchcraft means trusting your own power over God's. We don't do that. And, you do know, everyone has a verse in this book they wish to line out. None of us deserve salvation."

"Yeah, I know. Do me a favor Gilbert?" Fred asked. "Throw it in the fire."

"What?" Gilbert said at the thought of committing sacrilege. Gilbert shot Fred a questioning glance. When he saw Fred's determined nod, Gilbert answered, "No, that's not necessary."

"Then give it to me and I'll do it," Fred implored. "It needs to be done."

"No!" Gilbert answered as he held the Holy Bible protectively in his arms, wondering about Fred's sanity. The evening was chock-full of psychological stress. "It's not that important. You're an elder, you need a good Bible and this is one. It has a concordance and proper footnotes. I have the same Bible at home. Remember? We got them when we joined at fifteen."

Fred stood at this point, shaking his head. Gilbert would not be able to change his mind. Fred removed the grate to the fireplace and added a log. The flames quickly renewed, burning hot and bright. He looked back at Gilbert who was still holding the holy book. Reaching out with his hand, Fred said. "It's my Bible, Gilbert, please give it to me."

Gilbert hesitated. He eventually relinquished Fred's property back to him. Fred kneeled and held the book before the flames. "What I'm about to do here Gilbert, it's not just about you." He looked back to check if he were watching. "There are other things happening, things you don't know about. I can't be a part of it anymore. I want to be free."

And with that, Fred pitched the black volume into the flames.

"No, Fred," Gilbert said, now on his feet. But it was too late. The thin pages ignited and burned quickly and the leather binding began to shrink. The smell was terrible, and both men started to cough. Fred's eyes teared from the smoke and then, to Gilbert's amazement, Fred laughed joyfully as he wiped his eyes with his silk handkerchief.

"Oh, I guess I know now what is meant by 'circumcision of the heart'." He turned to Gilbert, "Off with the old, on with the new. Eh?"

Gilbert looked again into the flames. Fred's old line of thinking burned in effigy. For all its drama, the gesture broke down the wall between them and Gilbert found himself emotionally moved. Fred cared enough about the world to want to change it and stop defending its shortcomings. It was rather amazing to Gil, with all his supernatural gifts, that it was Fred that had performed the miracle. He had changed his heart. Gilbert shook Fred's hand and then pulled him into a brotherly hug. His eyes started to produce an excess of tears from the reunion.

"Fred," Gilbert breathed. "I thought our friendship was lost, forever. I have so much to tell you. About being a Blythe. About Anne and school."

"No Gilbert, it's me that needs to talk. Thank you for healing Katherine, and Diana, and Anne Cordelia," Fred choked on his suppressed cries. Their hug deepened until they both felt a bit uncomfortable.

"You forgot Robbie, your nephew. The fun started again with him," Gilbert laughed. "Talk about surprises."

"Yes, if it wasn't for us Wright's, would you have any victims at all?"

Their hug broke apart but Gilbert held onto his hand and sandwiched it to read him. "And now I can help the best friend I ever had." Gilbert added, "And I can do it honestly and not have to hide. You have a gallstone, Fred. I noticed it last week when we were here. I can get rid of it for you before it starts to move."

Fred's eyes widened again. "A gallstone? How do you know?"

"I'm a witch. A healer. I could sense the issue when I shook your hand. Please let me. A gallstone is an eleven in pain on a scale of one-to-ten. You'll live, but you may not want to," Gilbert pressed his hand on Fred's abdomen. "This will just take a second."

"Alright Gil," Fred believed in him. "Go on, do it. I trust you."

to be continued